Chot Reyes is the listed Gilas head coach for the Asian Games. Kennelf Monteza (file photo) |
PASAY—At least in the Philippine Olympic Committee and Olympic Council of Asia's sights, Chot Reyes is still Gilas Pilipinas' head coach.
The POC revealed on Tuesday that Reyes is listed as Gilas's head coach for the Asian Games men's 5x5 basketball event in Hangzhou, China.
According to POC president Bambol Tolentino, this is based on the list the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas gave to them upon the deadline for submission of the entry by names for the Asian Games.
“The deadline for the entry by names was last July 25 and whatever list a national Olympic committee submitted is deemed official,” Tolentino said.
However, a dilemma ensued on Saturday night, almost six weeks after the deadline, when Reyes himself said that he was "stepping aside" as Gilas's coach after their stint in the FIBA World Cup.
In effect, the actual Gilas lineup submitted during the entry-by-names deadline might not be considered final as well.
The SBP initially listed seven holdovers from Gilas' FIBA World Cup team to the Asian Games squad, namely Kiefer Ravena, Scottie Thompson, RR Pogoy, June Mar Fajardo, CJ Perez, Japeth Aguilar and Jamie Malonzo.
Justin Brownlee, Ange Kouame, Chris Newsome, Calvin Oftana, and Brandon Rosser complete Gilas' provisional Asian Games roster.
Interestingly enough, Ravena, who plays for the Shiga Lakes in the B.League second division, is on the Gilas roster even if his fellow Japan-based stalwarts Dwight Ramos, AJ Edu, and Kai Sotto have already begged off as they are set to return to their mother teams for the B.League top flight buildup.
Also, Brownlee and Rosser might rule themselves out as well owing to their respective injury concerns.
The SBP and PBA already held a meeting regarding the Asian Games and are expected to name Gilas' lineup--including the coach--to Hangzhou on Thursday.
However, according to Tolentino, an appeal to the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee needs to be raised if both SBP and PBA opt to bring in a different team.
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