Yeng Guiao mum on permanent Gilas coaching stint

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Yeng Guiao on Monday kept mum on the status of his head coaching stint with the Philippine men’s basketball team.

On Sunday, Manny V. Pangilinan, chairman emeritus of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, hinted that Guiao could potentially keep his position permanently.

Pangilinan dropped by Philippine team practice for a few minutes before the media could even catch him for an interview.

“Nothing was talked about regarding that (coaching), but I think if ever there’s going to be any announcement regarding that, it cannot come from me so I cannot really answer that question categorically,” Guiao told reporters after wrapping up the squad’s first training in preparation for the fourth window of the Fiba World Cup Asian Qualifiers.

“If SBP wants to make that announcement I think they will in time,” Guiao added. “All I can say is, for sure, I will be handling this window. What comes after the 17th, after the Qatar game, it’s SBP that will make that announcement.”

The multititled PBA mentor was hired to call the shots for the Nationals in the recently-concluded Asian Games in Indonesia after Chot Reyes was slapped with a one-game suspension and a hefty fine for “inciting unsportsmanlike behavior” during the Philippines’ ugly brawl with Australia on July 2 at Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.

Guiao steered the Philippines to fifth-place, the country’s best finish in 16 years, in the Asiad despite having very limited preparation time.

Guiao is facing the same dilemma in the qualifiers with the Philippines, which will have several new players in tow, set to take on Iran on Sept. 13 in Tehran.

The Iranians are coming off a silver-medal finish in the Asian Games after losing to the mighty Chinese in the championship round.

The Nationals then, return home to host Qatar on Sept. 17 in a closed-door duel at Smart Araneta Coliseum.