BY JONAS TERRADO
Aug. 10, 2013 marked the biggest accomplishment of coach Chot Reyes’ career when he guided Gilas Pilipinas to a victory over South Korea in front of its home fans at the Mall of Asia Arena to secure a place in the FIBA World Cup.
But for Reyes, that Gilas squad which eventually placed second in the FIBA Asia Championship wasn’t the best he ever had in his coaching career.
“The greatest team that I ever coached might be the 2007 Philippine national team sa Tokushima,” Reyes said in Thursday’s edition of Coaches Unfiltered.
It may sound a bit strange that he will choose a team that failed to progress in the second round of the 2007 FIBA Asia Championship held in Tokushima, Japan, but Reyes felt he had a lineup that had plenty of talent to compete for that year’s crown and a place in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Team Pilipinas had a talented backcourt comprised of that year’s PBA Most Valuable Player Mark Caguioa and partner in crime Jayjay Helterbrand of Barangay Ginebra, shooters Dondon Hontiveros of San Miguel Beer and Renren Ritualo and Talk ’N Text teammate and future Gilas legend Jimmy Alapag.
The frontcourt had San Miguel’s Danny Seigle, who was able to make a stirring comeback after years of dealing with injuries, fellow Class of 1999 members Eric Menk of Ginebra and Asi Taulava of TNT, PBA Rookie of the Year Kelly Williams of Sta. Lucia, Red Bull Barako’s Mick Pennisi and Purefoods’ Kerby Raymundo.
Also part of the squad was a young and athletic Fil-American named Gabe Norwood, who a year ago was part of George Mason University’s unlikely trip to the 2006 US NCAA Final Four.
