Philippine Basketball News Team
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Tag: FIBA Qualifiers 2019

Philippine Basketball:

Chot Reyes yields post to Yeng Guiao

September 11, 2018 – Manila Time

by Rock Punzalan

Philippine Basketball News 2018: Coach Chot Reyes has stepped aside from the Gilas Pilpinas program and yielded the national mentor post to Yeng Guiao.

Notes:

➤ Chot stated via his Instagram account, “I came out of retirement to coach Gilas because MVP (Manny V. Pangilinan) asked me back in October 2016. Amid my growing responsibilities in [TV5] and other big projects, I accepted, because I have complete trust in MVP’s judgment and more importantly because it was an opportunity to serve the country,”

➤ He added, “We have long worked for full support from all of Philippine basketball’s major stakeholders – from Coach Rajko Toroman’s time to my stint in 2013 to 2014, then Coach Tab Baldwin, until my current tenure. Now that the PBA has opened its doors fully to the SBP and the national team, it is time for me to step aside and contribute in a different capacity, focusing on the 2023 program.”

Reyes steered the Philippine basketball team in the following years and events:

YearBasketball EventRecord
2005FIBA Asia Champions Cup5th
2005William Jones Cup3rd
2005Brunei Sultan Cup1st
2007William Jones Cup3rd
2012William Jones Cup1st
2013FIBA Asia Championship2nd
2014FIBA Asia Cup3rd
2014FIBA World Cup21st
2014Asian Games7th
2017SEABA Cup1st
2017FIBA Asia Cup4th
2018FIBA World Asian Qualifiers4-2

➤ Reyes was recently suspended as coach of Gilas Pilipinas following the regrettable brawl between the Philippines and Australia. 10 Filipinos and 3 Aussies players were suspended as punishment by the FIBA governing body. Additionally, Reyes got suspended for one game, for supposedly inciting violence on court.

➤ Guiao was then named as temporary replacement coach pending Reyes’ ban. Consequently, Yeng’s coaching performance during the 2018 Asian Games increased the public clamor for him to permanently hold the national coach post. Guiao barely had a week of preparation, but led the ROS-Pilipinas team to a respectable 5th place finish.

➤ Yeng is now in the thick of preparing the Team Pilipinas basketball team as they battle a dangerous Iran national team tomorrow Thursday (September 13), for the continuation of the FIBA World Asian qualifiers.

➤ “Together with all the players and coaches who have sacrificed and put their careers on the line for flag and country, we wish coach Yeng and the current team great success, as they continue the World Cup journey. We are with you. Once Gilas, always Gilas,” Reyes reiterated.

➤ Chot’s stint as coach of the national team produced the best performance of the Philippine basketball team in three decades or so in the FIBA Asia Championships, FIBA Asia Cup, Jones Cup and the FIBA Worlds. The lone exception was the regrettable 7th place finish in the 2014 Asian Games.

Posted September 12, 2018 - Manila Time

Written by Rock Punzalan for Philippine Basketball News Team

Philippine Basketball:

FIBA greenlights Slaughter

September 8, 2018 – Manila

by Rock Punzalan

Philippine Basketball News 2018: FIBA has officially recognized the eligibility of Filipino Greg Slaughter to play as a natural player for the Philippine basketball team. This development also allows Slaughter to play for the national team in the upcoming 2019 FIBA World Cup fourth qualifying window without restrictions against Iran and Qatar.

Notes:

➤ FIBA accepted the eligibility of the 7-foot Barangay Ginebra center despite presenting a Philippine passport shortly after the age of 16. The restriction is limited to the acquisition of passport before the age of 16 (article 3-21.a), showing FIBA’s leniency and consideration for the Fil-American.

➤ “We have taken note of the fact that the player is claiming to have acquired the legal nationality of Philippines before the age of 16 but has failed to present the respective passport with a date of issue before his sixteenth birthday,” FIBA stated through secretary general Patrick Baumann.

➤ Contributing factors to the decision of FIBA included the fact that Slaughter has resided in the Philippines since 2007 at age 19 and that he had studied locally while playing hoops for the last 11 years.

➤ SBP President Al Panlilio stated “We are happy to announce to the entire basketball loving Filipinos that SBP’s push to FIBA to prove that Greg Slaughter is a pure Filipino has been recognized.”

➤ “The SBP is elated with this development in our desire to come up with the best basketball roster for our flag and country,” he also added.

➤ Coach Yeng Guiao will now only be limited to choose between star guard Stanley Pringle and bullish forward Christian Standhardinger for a slot to play as a naturalized player in the upcoming qualifiers.

➤ Pilipinas Basketball will be pitted against Iran for the FIBA Qualifiers on Thursday September 13.

Posted on September 8, 2018 - Manila

Written by Rock Punzalan for Philippine Basketball News Team

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