Pangilinan hints Guiao could be permanent Gilas coach

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Yeng Guiao has done what others thought to be impossible when he led a Philippine national men’s basketball team to fifth place in the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia.

Guiao’s team was formed less than a month before the continental sporting event started and their seeding in the men’s basketball competition was the best finish for the Philippines since the country placed fourth in 2002.

The national team’s efforts in Jakarta didn’t go unnoticed with Manny V. Pangilinan, the chairman emeritus of Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, looking to put Guiao as Gilas Pilipinas’ permanent head coach.

Pangilinan was asked if Guiao could become the permanent head coach for Gilas since the NLEX head coach would temporarily take over the team following Chot Reyes’ suspension.

“What do you think? I think so too, I’m thinking what you’re thinking,” said Pangilinan laughing as he talked to media Sunday at Smart Araneta Coliseum. “I think so.”

Guiao is Gilas’ head coach for the fourth window of the Fiba World Cup Asian Qualifiers after Reyes got suspended for one game following the ugly brawl between the Philippines and Australia in the third window.

Pangilinan added that he was impressed not just with the Philippines’ overall performance in the Asian Games, but how Guiao handled the personalities in the team including integrating Cleveland Cavalier Jordan Clarkson into the system.

“I must say coach Yeng was a revelation, it was a Jekyll and Hyde transformation, how he managed to bring the team together from different personalities, different teams, and how Jordan Clarkson also blended with the team,” said Pangilinan.

Clarkson was not able to practice with the team before the Asian Games and was only able to join the group during the Philippines’ first game in Jakarta.

That was on top of Guiao’s handling of the team that was comprised of Rain or Shine’s core with Paul Lee, Stanley Pringle, Poy Erram, Christian Standhardinger, Asi Taulava, and Clarkson.

Pangilinan said he talked with Reyes and the latter is willing to give Guiao his position.

The only thing left to do for Pangilinan and the rest of the SBP is to convince Guiao who’s likely to run for Congress in 2019.

Guiao, apart from being a basketball coach, is also a politician and was the former representative of the first district of Pampanga.