Chot leaves fate to management after Asiad debacle

INCHEON, South Korea -- After a disastrous showing in the 17th Asian Games that saw Gilas Pilipinas not making it past the quarterfinals, national team coach Chot Reyes is open to changes but believes the program should stay.

Reyes, who piloted the team to a silver medal run in last year's FIBA Asia Men's Championship and the country's first win in the World Cup in 40 years, is leaving his fate to the management.

"If they still want me and still ask me to be the coach, I will continue to make that commitment," Reyes told reporters after Gilas got eliminated despite pulling off a 67-65 victory over Kazakhstan on Sunday here.

Gilas failed to reach the needed margin of victory (at least 11 points) to stay in contention.

The win which felt like a loss has put the whole Gilas program hanging in the balance as the team failed to sustain the momentum of their surge from FIBA Asia to World Cup.

"What's the future of this team? We had several goals. Get back respectability in Asia and compete in World stage. We got it," Reyes said.

"It would have been great to medal here but our goal now is to get into the Olympics. I think it would be a shame to judge the program on the tourney," he added.

China will host next year's FIBA Asia Men's Championship, which will serve as the Asian zone qualifier for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Reyes, who left a PBA dynasty in Talk n Text, to embark anew in the ambitious national basketball program enjoyed early success with last year's memorable hosting of the FIBA Asia Men's Championship that culminated with a runner-up finish, enough to bring the country back in the world basketball map.

They made the country proud with a tough stand against the best basketball teams in the world, even winning one against Senegal.

"We've won in every tournament we played and reached historic milestones. The program continues," Reyes said.

But an ugly ending, the opposite to what Phl basketball fans have hoped to be a fairy tale ending with the Asian gold that continue to elude the country since 1962, has put him on the spot.

"The players might not be the same, the coach might not be the same but the program continues," Reyes said.

Even if he does not return as the coach, Reyes is still willing to help.

"The first step is reassess the program and see how we can get to 2015," Reyes said.