SBP looking to address Gilas coach heavy load

MANILA, Philippines — With Gilas Pilipinas’ loaded slate next year, Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio said there’s a need for a better setup for coach Chot Reyes as he performs double duty for the national team and his PBA mother club TNT.

“That’s something we need to address,” Panlilio said on the sidelines of the launch of the Volunteers Program for the World Cup hosting yesterday.

“It’s also unfair both to him (Reyes), the national team and even TNT. We have to talk to the governor of TNT, Ricky Vargas, and have consultations with MVP (Manny V. Pangilinan) on how to move forward,” added Panlilio.

Reyes steered Gilas to a sweep of the fourth window road games against Jordan and Saudi Arabia early this month but wasn’t as successful with the Tropang Giga, who missed the playoffs of the Commissioner’s Cup.

Aside from the FIBA World Cup, Gilas is also set for battle in the sixth window of the WC qualifiers, the Southeast Asian Games and the Asian Games in 2023.

“It’s a jampacked calendar next year so technically, Chot will be up to his head the whole year for the national team program pa lang so I think we’ll have to decide on how we handle the TNT situation at least for that moment,” said Panlilio, the PLDT president.

With 269 days to go before the global showpiece,  the WC local organizing committee gets the ball rolling on tapping volunteers who will complement the workforce for the hosting not only of the games proper but also major events like the official draw and FIBA Congress.

The organizers are looking for 500 “highly-motivated volunteers who embody the spirit of bayanihan and who can show the world the Filipino brand of hospitality.”

“The monumental task of co-hosting the World Cup, including its final phase is upon us and the challenge to deliver has never been as daunting,” Pangilinan, the SBP chairman emeritus and FIBA Central Board member, said.

“But we Filipinos have always been known to come together and unite for causes most worthy and the FIBA World Cup 2023, I sincerely believe, will move us to showcase that quality to the rest of the world.”

The MVP Group was among the first to commit personnel to the Volunteers Program.