Nat’l coach says RP 5 on right track

By Joaquin Henson
Philippine Star
Monday, October 22, 2007

Still smarting from the Philippines’ failure to advance beyond the eliminations in the FIBA-Asia Championships in Tokushima last July, national basketball coach Chot Reyes said yesterday the fall only strengthens his resolve to restore the country’s reputation as an Asian power.

“I still haven’t gotten over it,” said Reyes, referring to the end of the Philippines’ Olympic dream. “The feeling doesn’t leave you quietly. That’s why I appreciate getting a break from coaching.”

But Reyes is convinced the way is clear for a resurgence.

“We started a three-year program in 2005, supposed to culminate in 2008, in time for the Beijing Olympics,” he said. “The US did something similar. We used the pool system and so with the US. The difference was we got suspended and our progress was derailed.”

Reyes pointed out that after the US collapsed to sixth place at the 2002 World Championships and took the bronze at the 2004 Athens Olympics, there was a concerted effort to bring back American supremacy in basketball. Mike Krzyzewski was hired to pilot the US squad in 2005 up to 2008, the first long-term commitment ever made to a coach in American basketball history.

Although the US bagged only the bronze at the World Championships in Saitama last year, Krzyzewski’s team lost just once and bounced back to sweep the recent FIBA-Americas Championships in Las Vegas.

“You notice a lot of changes in the way the US now plays,” said Reyes. “Roles are now clearly defined. They’re learning how to defend the pick-and-roll. They didn’t use to like to switch before. Now, they’re looking for it. They’re using different kinds of defenses, not just going one-on-one. It took time for the US to adjust to the international game. And if it took time for the US, what more us?”

Reyes predicted the US will capture the gold medal at the Beijing Olympics. “That’s where the program is headed,” he said. “If we only didn’t get suspended, maybe we would’ve done better in Tokushima. Remember, we played in the Group of Death or the Group of Champions with China, Iran and Jordan. China was the defending Asian champion and we beat them twice. Iran eventually won the championship and got the Olympic ticket. Jordan won the last Jones Cup title. We were in the toughest group of the tournament. But against Iran, we were down by just one with about a minute to go and lost because of a technical foul.”

After failing to qualify for the quarterfinals, the Philippines swept its next four assignments to finish ninth with a 5-2 overall record.

Reyes said the national team is now inactive with the players back to their mother clubs in the PBA.

“We remain committed to our national program but we’re in a standstill at the moment,” he said. “I think an indication of the commitment is the adoption of several FIBA rules in the PBA this season. The next FIBA-Asia tournament is the 2009 qualifiers for the 2010 World Championships. So by the end of next year, we should be regrouping our pool. Then there will be the 2011 qualifiers for the 2012 London Olympics. We’re on the right track as far as our national program is concerned.”

Reyes said next week, he’ll team with Eric Altamirano and Fritz Gaston in conducting a three-day coaching clinic in Cebu for the Samahang Basketbol Ng Pilipinas. Some 60 to 100 coaches are expected to attend the first leg of a nationwide tour that will include stops in Iloilo, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Naga and San Fernando.