COMMITTEE STARTS SEARCH
Three PBA top officials, together with two SBP leaders, pool their wisdom and ideas in a key meeting Tuesday, setting the criteria and timeline in making a short list of candidates for the next head coach of the national team.
SBP vice chairman Ricky Vargas, the committee chair, convenes SBP executive director Sonny Barrios and PBA commissioner Chito Salud, Board chairman Patrick Gregorio and vice chair Robert Non in a meeting to draw the parameters in the search for the man to take over from Chot Reyes as Gilas Pilipinas chief strategist.
Reyes requested that he no longer be considered for the job on the eve of the meeting of the special search committee formed by the SBP board.
In a statement, Reyes said: “It is time for someone else to take over the wheel; it is time for me to hand over that wheel.”
Reyes also said his decision “will allow the committee to do its work unencumbered, take a broader view of other potential candidates to this national job and enable the Gilas program to move on unfettered.”
SBP president Manny V. Pangilinan accepted Reyes’ decision with much regret and at the same time wished him well in his future endeavors.
Pangilinan also expressed hope that history will be kind to Reyes who had given Gilas Pilipinas great rides before suffering a poor showing in the recent Asian Games.
“It is my hope that time and distance will judge the Gilas events, and his performance, in the last two years with a slightly more moderate and compassionate view than that offered by some present-day commentators,” said Pangilinan.
“This leads me to recall what a sovereign once said – ‘He who has never failed to reach perfection has a right to be the hardest critic,’” Pangilinan also said.
The five-man special committee will prepare the short list of candidates for the next Gilas Pilipinas head coach. The final decision will be made by the SBP chief.
“I expect a productive meeting. Lahat ng members ng search committee ay mataas na tao sa Philippine basketball community. Siguradong may mararating ang meeting,” said Barrios, the spokesperson of the committee.
“Kung ano ang mararating, depende sa takbo ng usapan. Bonus siguro kung makabuo kami ng short list,” Barrios also said. (SB)
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