Blue Eagles tap Sandy Arespacochaga; Tams eye Nash Racela

MANILA, Philippines — Two Talk ’N Text assistant coaches are tipped to assume the posts vacated by new Talk ‘N Text coach Norman Black at Ateneo and Bert Flores at Far Eastern University.

Sandy “Paco” Arespacochaga and Nash Racela—now both serving as assistant mentors to Black in the PBA—have been offered the top coaching positions of the two perennial favorites in the UAAP men’s basketball.

Arespacochaga, also a long-time Ateneo deputy, has been tagged as the “priority” candidate in the Blue Eagles’ bid for a sixth straight title next season, while Racela is the top choice for the Tamaraws.

“We feel that Sandy will be the best choice,” Ricky Palou, Ateneo’s athletic director and representative to the UAAP Board, said yesterday.

“There are other names that have come up—Alex Compton and Jamike Jarin— these are some of the names that we’re looking at, but Sandy is still our priority.”

Racela, a long-time TNT assistant even under former coach Chot Reyes, had met with the FEU management as the Morayta-based school finalizes talks with tycoon Manny V. Pangilinan.

Pangilinan—who recently severed ties with Ateneo as its top sports patron over “irreconcilable” differences on various issues—has reportedly been discussing with FEU its sports program.

“Arrangements are still being finalized,” said Anton Montinola, FEU’s representative to the UAAP Board.

Pangilinan’s father is an alumnus of the university.

Flores hinted last month that he might quit after the Tamaraws missed out on the Final Four for the first time in five years.