Hunt for cage coach intensifies

We hope the SBP can submit their program on or before the board meeting so that we can discuss it.

Yeng Guiao’s resignation as head coach of Gilas Pilipinas took a major hit in the country’s preparation for the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, which the country will be hosting from 30 November to 11 December.

Guiao was supposed to handle the national team for the biennial meet but his sudden demise from the program put the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) in a bind as SEA Games is less than three months from now.

That’s why Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) commissioner Willy Marcial is requesting the SBP to come up with the program immediately so that they can tackle the matter in their 26 September board meeting.

“We hope the SBP can submit their program on or before the board meeting so that we can discuss it,” Marcial told Daily Tribune.

“The PBA really want to know from them who will be the next coach and who are the players they will tap for the SEA Games,” he added.

An SBP insider said the federation is currently deliberating on the possible candidates to replace Guiao.

Guiao stepped down from his post after a forgettable stint in the FIBA Basketball World Cup in China, finishing last in the 32-nation tournament after going 0-5 in its campaign.

His exit left a vacuum in the basketball program as the SBP now has to form a competitive team for the SEA Games where the country is the defending champion.

Although the Philippines is the favorite to repeat in the biennial meet, it cannot be denied that the other Southeast Asian nations are slowly catching up.

In 2017 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur, the Filipinos, composed of mixed amateur and professional players, struggled to get past Singapore in the semifinals, 68-60, before routing Indonesia in their gold-medal match, 94-55.

Marcial said the PBA is open to a lot of possibilities as long as it has the approval of the board.

“We’re open to that as long as it will fit in to the schedule of the league,” said Marcial, adding that the proposed two-conference format might not be feasible at this point.

“The PBA has a commitment with its partners and part of the contract we signed is 120 double-headers. We can do that also in a two-conference format but the players will still play the same number of games and the effect to them could be worse.”

Expect the SBP to expedite the process of naming the next head coach for Gilas Pilipinas, at least for the SEA Games as the deadline for entries by name for the biennial meet is set on 26 September.