Basketball coaches pick Chua

HAD it been that long? Had Chito Narvasa been president of the Basketball Coaches Association of the Philippines (BCAP) for 17 long years until his resignation recently?

“Yes, it’s been close to two decades,” the new PBA commissioner said after stepping down from the BCAP last Sunday. He was replaced by Ginebra board representative Alfrancis Chua.

Narvasa said the BCAP board held a meeting at Club Filipino yesterday to elect a new set of officers.

Chua, who was BCAP vice president during Narvasa’s time, was nominated for president by Valentin Rosabal, with the move seconded by lawyer Ogie Narvasa, the former commissioner of the defunct Philippine Basketball League and Chito’s younger brother.

Ogie Narvasa was elected executive vice president and legal counsel, with former Crispa Redmanizer Itoy Esguerra as vice president for internal affairs, Louie Gonzales as secretary general, Rosabal as treasurer, Jay Serrano as corporate secretary, and Adonis Tierra, Felix “Boy” Tiukinoy Jr., Fr. Nong Realuyo, Fr. Nonie Dolor and former Philippine Sports Commission chair William “Butch” Ramirez as board members.

Named senior advisers were former BCAP president and Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao and Chito himself.

The BCAP has 13 board members.

* * *

“I am pleased that last Monday’s meeting was well attended,” said the ponytailed Chua. “Even Coach Yeng   took time out from his busy schedule to attend our meeting.”

Guiao, himself a former BCAP president, is also congressman of the first district of Pampanga.

“I am honored and privileged to be able to serve with a special group of men and women with whom I share a common bond,” said Chua, a Grand Slam champion coach in the PBL before steering Ginebra to the finals of the 2012 PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

“Considering that I have to take over where coaches like Yeng and Chito have left off, these are pretty big shoes to fill. But with their guidance and direction and the support of our fellow coaches, we hope to continue BCAP’s programs with the goal of further advancing the interest of the coaching profession.”

Chua plans to hold a three-day clinic-seminar in December where coaches from all over the country will be invited.

He also plans to exchange technology with coaches from the United States, South Korea and Japan who can help local teams play the game more competitively internationally.