Chot Reyes will sit down with the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) once again to discuss Gilas Pilipinas’ stacked calendar ahead.
The meeting will take place after the FIBA World Cup 2023 Asian Qualifiers’ February window, according to the returning mentor.
“Nag-usap na kami ni Commissioner Willie Marcial na right after the window, first week of March, uupo kami,” he told the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum, Tuesday.
“Paplanuhin, paplantsahin na namin how the PBA can help.”
Reyes said that he already has the Nationals’ schedule all the way to the World Cup, which features major international tournaments along the way.
Aside from the qualifying windows, the Philippine team will also have to take part in the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam in May. Then, there’s also the 19th Asian Games in China in September.
“Alam na natin lahat ng sasalihang tournament,” he told the forum presented by San Miguel Corporation, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, MILO, Amelie Hotel Manila, Unilever, and PAGCOR.
Thus, the need to seek the league’s assistance, just like what the program did for a stop-gap measure for the Qualifiers’ Manila bubble.
Reyes and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) had to ask the PBA permission to allow TNT players to reinforce Gilas due to time constraints and manpower woes, which was approved unanimously by the Board.
The program basically hit the reset button ahead of the Feb. 24-28 meet by replacing Tab Baldwin with Reyes, who just returned to coaching last year.
“That’s why I’m very thankful to the PBA Board of Governors for really lending their support, bending over backward para sa programa. Ang gusto lang nila, siyempre, no surprises as much as possible,” said Reyes.
“So sabi ko lang kay Commissioner, hayaan mo lang ako makaraos nitong February, laruin natin ‘tong window. And then after this uupo kami, maguusap kami para plantsahin at planuhin lahat all the way.”
