Moving Forward: The Gilas Program

While the current batch of Gilas Pilipinas stalwarts try their best to salvage whatever is left of their 2014 Asian Games campaign, we deem it necessary for the program not to be hastily aborted but rather to be reevaluated.  While it's always easy to pin the losses and off court drama on Gilas head coach Chot Reyes (the "shoot at our own rim because we didn't do our jobs in regulation to reach quotient versus Kazakstan" ploy is unforgivable though), we feel that he's still the man for the job.

Tim Cone, the country's winningest PBA coach, is not going to coach the national team any time soon as long as he's under the San Miguel corporate banner and the Gilas program under rivals, Manny V. Pangilinan's. So there goes that option. Yeng Guiao, the other winningest coach in recent years next to Cone and Reyes, has already gone on record to decline any future invite.

We can keep throwing names around such as Norman Black or Jong Uichico, but Chot Reyes has delivered in what he had initially designed/ planned for Gilas: to put Philippine basketball back on the world map.


So he failed to deliver in the 2014 Asian Games, but is that enough to really ask for his removal following what he has helped accomplish in the last three to four years?

We vote for the continuation of the program, under Coach Chot Reyes if possible. We vote for the inclusion of Andray Blatche, if he's still ready and willing, to suit up for us for the next two to three years. We vote that Marcus Douthit, robbed of his heroic efforts because of one (or two) bone headed performances, be recognised and reinstated as the Pambansang Kuya.

But most of all, we vote that the PBA teams-- Manny V. Pangilinan's, San Miguel's or otherwise, open their rosters and lower their collective prides to put national interest first above all.

James Yap is the big game shooter that we didn't have. PJ Simon is another big game scorer we could've used off the bench. Greg Slaughter, the country's only legit 7"0 professional basketball player, should be penciled in on the Gilas roster from day one. Other names such as Arwind Santos, Sonny Thoss, Calvin Abueva-- they should all be made available at the simple mention of their names by Coach Chot Reyes.

Our Gilas, our country, should not be short changed any more by selfish men. Thank the Gilas 12 for all they have done, and continue to build on the legacy that they have created.

The future starts now.