La Salle eyeing ex-Qatar national team mentor as new head coach

La Salle is looking at a massive retooling of its coaching staff after failing to make it to the Final Four in UAAP Season 81.

The Archers are looking to install a former national head coach, replacing Louie Gonzales, the Inquirer learned from multiple sources late Thursday night.

“They’re going to revamp the coaching staff and they’ve been in serious talks with a national team coach for quite some time,” said one of the sources.

The Inquirer sources did not specify the coach but several insiders have said that La Salle has contacted former Qatar national team coach Tim Lewis regarding his availability.

Lewis served as Thailand’s chief tactician during the SEABA tournament held here in 2016. He went on to partially lend his services to Chot Reyes and the Gilas cause a year later before taking up the job at Qatar.

Gonzales steered La Salle to an 8-6 record, before getting ousted by FEU in a playoff in the recent tournament.

La Salle finished fifth in the recent UAAP season despite a surprisingly strong performance by Gonzales, who was an assistant to coach Aldin Ayo before being elevated to the top spot.

The Archers failed to make the Final Four for the first time since 2015.

Lewis was the coach of Qatar during the Gulf country’s clash with Gilas Pilipinas behind closed doors. During that Fiba qualifying match, Qatar had the Philippines in double-digit holes before the Nationals cagers rallied in the stretch.