SBP considers Euro coach

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) sets its sights on a European mentor following the resignation of Yeng Guiao as head coach of Gilas Pilipinas last week.

SBP president Al Panlilio admitted that Gilas’ winless campaign in the recent FIBA Basketball World Cup serves as an eye-opener that prompted them to seriously consider hiring a European mentor in preparation for the country’s hosting of the prestigious world tourney in 2023.

Italy clobbered the Philippines by 46 points while Serbia followed suit via a 59-point massacre, the widest winning margin in the entire 32-nation tournament.

Then, two Europeans in Spain and France made it to the semifinals with the Spaniards eventually lifting the world title.

Panlilio said they have to move fast and put the program back on track.

“We have to move quickly. I just don’t know if there’s a timetable. It might be a local coach or it might be a foreign coach,” said Panlilio, who personally talked to Guiao right after their winless campaign in China.

Based on Guiao’s blueprint, the only way to emerge successful in the world stage is to hire a European coach and have the Nationals train regularly in Europe, where passing, shooting and movement without the ball are given premium more than dribbling, dunking and individual plays.

The first time the country hired a European coach was in 2009 when it tapped Serbian Rajko Toroman to man the program.

The national cagers, who were then known as Smart Gilas, found some measures of success in the Asian level, but the program was scratched two years later when the federation decided to move to a different direction and revert to hiring players from the Philippine Basketball Association.

A local coach in Chot Reyes was also tapped to replace Toroman.

“That’s part of the assessment,” Panlilio said.

“If the suggestion given by coach Yeng is that we should adopt with that style of basketball, then we need a European coach or at least somebody who knows European basketball.”