By JONAS TERRADO
Gavina officially stepped down after the Picanto held their final practice for the year at the Azure Hardcourt in Parañaque City. Kia team governor Bobby Rosales said assistant coach Ricky Dandan was appointed as his replacement.
Asked by the Bulletin, the 38-year-old Gavina said it was time to move on and pursue other endeavors.
“I think it was just time for me to step aside and allow coach Ricky Dandan to take over for the new year,” he said. “I’ll be concentrating on making my energy drink Impakt Power Drink more accessible to the Philippine market and will see what other opportunities arise as I move forward.”
Gavina, a chemist by profession, had launched his energy drink earlier this year.
“I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity Kia provided me and wish them nothing but the best for the new year,” added Gavina, whose unusual road to become a PBA coach began as a player in 2008 at Liga Pilipinas followed by a stint as a strength and conditioning coach for the Philippine Patriots during the 2012 ASEAN Basketball League season.
His resignation capped off an eventful year for the Kia franchise marred by its decision to trade the No. 1 overall pick to San Miguel, which eventually drafted 6-foot-8 Fil-German Christian Standhardinger.
Three days ago, rumors swirled that Phoenix is negotiating to purchase the Kia franchise which would make businessman Dennis Uy the third owner to have multiple PBA franchises with San Miguel Corporation and Manny V. Pangilinan having three teams each.
Officials from both Kia and Phoenix have been mum about the reported move.
Gavina ends a five-conference stint that was mostly de facto by nature, calling the shots for Kia whenever designated playing coach Manny Pacquiao wasn’t available. He officially became head coach before this season when Pacquiao’s contract had expired.
His debut as Pacquiao’s lead assistant in the 2016 Governors’ Cup was a dream one as the then-Mahindra Floodbuster won their first four games on the way to making the playoffs for the first time in franchise history with a solid cast led by import James White, LA Revilla, Brad Guinto, KG Canaleta, Mike DiGregorio, Aldrech Ramos and Keith Agovida.
But management elected to let go most of the aforementioned players and posted a combined record of 6-27 in all three conferences last season, including a winless campaign in the Governors’ Cup. Kia began this season with losses to NLEX and Phoenix.
Dandan, an understudy of Kia team manager Joe Lipa, officially takes over when the team resumes practice on Jan. 2. He will make his PBA coaching debut on Jan. 10 when the Picanto take on the Magnolia Hotshots at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
He coached his alma mater University of the Philippines from 2011 and 2013 and currently serves as Maroons assistant under Bo Perasol. He had also been an assistant during Lipa’s stints with UP and Ateneo.