Call it a short list of candidate for Gilas Pilipinas coach in the 30th Southeast Asian Games.
Oh, yes, that’s candidate without an S.
With Yeng Guiao stepping down in the aftermath of Gilas’ misadventure in the FIBA World Cup in China, the search is on for the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas to find a suitable and acceptable replacement.
The spotlight didn’t have to look far and wide to find a most qualified man – Tim Cone, coach of the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings.
Unless a name as singularly recognizable props up within the week, bearing a championship pedigree that measures up to 21 PBA titles with two Grand Slams on two ballclubs and a bronze medal draped around the neck during the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok, the post vacated by Guiao could be Cone’s for the taking.
That is if Cone, should an offer come his way in the next few days, doesn’t decline it – which is not likely considering the growing clamor for him to assume the reins and get the fallen Philippine team back on its feet.
“He is an excellent coach,” said SBP chairman emeritus Manny V. Pangilinan last Thursday outside his PLDT office in Makati.
Nothing is cast in stone though.
SBP president Al Panlilio and SBP executive director Sonny Barrios will probably be joining PBA chairman and former Philippine Olympic Committee president Ricky Vargas, who is on his way home from Macau where he watched three PBA teams, including the TNT KaTropa, compete in the Terrific 12 Invitational, in a brainstorm with Pangilinan and there make a final decision.
SBP chairman emeritus Manny V. Pangilinan, center, stresses a point. With him are SBP president Al Panlilio, left, and SBP executive director Sonny Barrios.
“An announcement will be made before the end of the month,” said Panlilio, probably in a press conference.
“We can have the new coach join us there,” said Pangilinan.
Barrios said other names have been mentioned other than Cone, among them former Gilas standout Jimmy Alapag and two-time SEA Games champion coach Jong Uichico. Also bandied about is TNT’s New Zealand-Australian consultant Mark Dickel.
“Coach Jong won two of the last three SEA Games,” said Barrios
But Cone appears to have the inside track.
Pressed on how SBP would approach Cone should the choice be made, Panlilio said they will have to reach out to San Miguel Corporation management, specifically SMC sports director and Ginebra governor Alfrancis Chua, who is on vacation in the US.
Chua could then relay the overture to SMC president and COO Ramon S. Ang.
An SMC insider said it could be better if SBP sounds off Cone first ahead of talking to team management to get the multi-titled mentor’s sentiments.
Cone, who expressed elation at beating a South Korean team in a recent exhibition with the Kings, had earlier told the sports website Spin.ph that PBA players should represent the country on the biggest stage of competition.
“You do not want to send your amateur players to a world championship,” he said. “You’ve got to be able to send your best players in the country – and those best players in the country are going to come from the PBA. That is where it starts from. After that, let’s figure out the best program.”
With the Philippines no longer in pursuit of a berth in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, the next grand stage would be the FIBA World Cup, which the country is hosting in 2023, and the year before that – the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China in September 2022 where the country will be facing off with continental basketball powers China, Iran and longtime tormentor South Korea, among others.
The SEA Games, however, has regional opponents Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, whose basketball teams the Philippines had traditionally dominated. It is here where emerging amateurs like Thirdy Ravena, Kobe Paras, Dave Ildefonso, Ricci Rivero and Kai Sotto could be tapped to join a national training pool which the incoming coach will be drawing up.
While PBA stars June Mar Fajardo, Greg Slaughter and Paul Lee would be shoo-ins in the final roster which SBP has to submit to the SEAG federation by Sept. 30, less stringent rules compared to that of FIBA would allow the Philippines to field Fil-foreign players like Stanley Pringle, Christian Standhardinger and Chris Ross, who has declared himself available for recruitment, in the biennial meet.
A combination of the best from both worlds – pro and amateur – could then be on parade at the Mall of Asia Arena, venue for the basketball competitions.
The nightmare of Foshan and Beijing is over but a pall of gloom remains. A dominant, sweeping SEA Games performance is needed to blast away the dark clouds.
Everybody knows how that commences, so a decision has to be made soonest.
If SBP offers him the job, and Cone accepts, the first big hurdle would have been overcome.
The final SEAG lineup could then be completed and a program put in place – faster than one can say ‘gold medal.’ (Tito S. Talao)
