Mark Dickel still interim coach for Gilas—SBP

FILE — Interim coach Mark Dickel during Gilas practice. INQUIRER PHOTO/TRISTAN TAMAYO

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine men’s basketball team’s head coaching position remains status quo—at least for now—with Mark Dickel as interim head coach.

Dickel was appointed on an interim basis last January, a month after Tim Cone led Gilas Pilipinas to a dominating gold medal run in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.

And as far as the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas is concerned, Dickel  is still at Gilas’ helm.

“If you can remember, Mark Dickel has been named the interim head coach. Unless and until there is an announcement otherwise, he is the interim,” SBP executive director Sonny Barrios said during Tuesday’s PSA Forum.

Barrios, though, added that things could change later this year depending on the kind of decision SBP would arrive at.

“Towards the end of this year there will be some decision on who is the permanent head coach, but there could have been a setback because of this COVID interruption.”

Dickel, who also serves as consultant for TNT KaTropa in the PBA, was tasked to lead the Philippines in the first window of the 2021 Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers against Thailand and Indonesia slated last February.

The tournament, however, was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.