Raymond Almazan was absolutely elated on Monday night. Not only has he returned to Gilas Pilipinas, but he has also reunited with his former head coach Yeng Guiao after nearly two years.
Almazan and Guiao are together again, as the decorated coach will be leading the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters-backed Gilas team that will compete in the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia next week.
“Yung feeling ng excitement tsaka yung, alam mo yun, na magiging coach ko ulit si Coach Yeng [nandoon],” said Almazan after Gilas’ first practice, Monday night at the Meralco Gym in Pasig City.
“And yung mga other players like Paul [Lee], mga kaibigan ko sa Rain or Shine talaga ‘yan. Kulang na nga lang si JR [Quiñahan] eh tsaka si Jericho [Cruz],” he added with a chuckle.
“Sobrang happy.”
What he misses most about Guiao, shared the 29-year-old slotman out of Letran, is the tactician’s approach to mentoring his players – Guiao has been known ever since as a fiery coach.
“Nakaka-miss din pagalitan ka ni coach Yeng,” Almazan quipped. “Kasi si coach Caloy [Garcia] ‘di naman masyadong… Si coach Yeng talaga sasabihin niya ‘yung dapat mong marinig eh.
“Sasabihin niya dapat sasabihin sa’yo kung tatanga-tanga ka sa loob ng court, kung tamad ka, yun nakaka-miss sa kanya. Pero personally wala naman ‘yun eh. Pagmo-motivate lang sa’yo.”
Delight aside, Almazan is aware of what this particular Gilas team has been tasked to do in the Asiad: finish better than what the previous Gilas unit did four years ago in Incheon, South Korea.
That Gilas team – who had been fresh from a FIBA World Cup stint in Spain prior to the Incheon Games – greatly underwhelmed and ended the tournament in seventh place.
The 6-foot-8 cager from Bataan knows, too, that they will only have limited time to prepare for the meet. But for Almazan, he’s determined to accomplish that goal.
“So yun nga, sabi seventh place last 2014, so kung kaya mahigitan, higitan namin. Ako yung mindset ko, every game, every practice, yung goal namin ma-reach namin,” he said.
“Hindi for the sake na makasama lang tayo sa Asian Games.”
