SBP eyes European coach for Gilas Pilipinas

SBP executives Ricky Vargas, Manny V. Pangilinan, Al Panlilio and Sonny Barrios. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas is contemplating hiring a European coach to call the shots for the Philippine team.

The SBP is currently in search for the next Gilas Pilipinas head coach, a post recently vacated by Yeng Guiao just days after the country’s dispiriting campaign in the 2019 Fiba World Cup.

And with the SBP now deviating from an NBA-oriented style of play to embracing a system largely influenced by a European brand of basketball, a foreign tactician would likely be the way to go.

“We will have to do it quickly. I don’t know if there’s a timetable. We have to do a search if ever for the new coach. It might be a local or it might be a foreign coach,” SBP president Al Panlilio told reporters Tuesday.

“I think we should consider [a foreign coach]. If we wanna go European, we need somebody who knows the European system very well.”

European countries dominated the World Cup with Spain winning the gold medal after clobbering Argentina.

Following the European blueprint as part of the country’s preparations for the 2023 World Cup was also a strong suggestion and major takeaway by Guiao from Gilas’ winless campaign in China.

“We will wait for the new coach and see what the program will be. I think there’s mention even from coach Yeng and also from MVP today that when we met with Yeng, his thoughts about this World Cup and the learning that he has had is really maybe it’s the European brand of basketball that we really should take a look at and maybe adopt in terms of moving forward,” Panlilio said.

Tab Baldwin, Chot Reyes and Tim Cone have all drawn clamor as possible successors to the helm.

The SBP is set to tackle the coaching search over the weekend.

Panlilio bared the SBP’s plans during an impromptu press conference upon SBP chairman emeritus Manny V. Pangilinan’s return from Beijing, China where he formally accepted the hosting rights for the 2023 Fiba Basketball World Cup.

The Philippines will be the co-hosts of the next World Cup along with Japan and Indonesia.