FOR Chot Reyes, it’s going to be a busy 2017 as he juggles his responsibilities as coach of the Gilas Pilipinas national men’s basketball team and president and CEO of TV5.
As for Gilas, it will be his job to map out plans that will bring the national squad to qualify for the Asian championships.
To do so, Gilas will first have to do well in the Southeast Asia Basketball Association cagefest.
Then, the national squad will have to win the gold in the Southeast Asian Games to make it to FIBA Asia.
This journey would most likely bring them the World Cup, and probably the Olympics in 2020.
“Bugbog ang Gilas next year. Ang daming tournaments,” said Reyes during Wednesday’s media luncheon at Shangrila, The Fort.
The 55-year-old Reyes said he has a lot of ideas on how to form the national team.
This includes, getting a seven-footer who can shoot triples and play side by side with Junemar Fajardo.
But he said he has yet to finalize his plans for Gilas.
A meeting with the PBA board on Thursday will help him get new ideas. After that, the formation of a 25-man pool is next line.
Two years ago, Reyes left the national team following a disappointing finish in Gilas’ campaign during the 2014 Asian Games.
He was replaced by American-Kiwi Tab Baldwin, who later went on to become the coach of the Ateneo Blue Eagles.
