Preps for FIBA World Cup to start April – Guiao
Credit to Author: EDDIE G. ALINEA| Date: Mon, 04 Mar 2019 16:16:33 +0000
A fortnight after guiding the Philippines to a place in the 2019 FIBA World Cup, national coach Yeng Guiao couldn’t help expressed a sigh of relief for having the job done.
And with a bang at that.
“Parang nabunutan ng tinik sa dibdib,” sighed the NLEX mentor in the PBA in an interview with The Manila Times on Sunday. “We’re just glad it’s over.”
He and his team’s mission having been accomplished. The next move, Guiao, whose tour of duty as national bench tactician is believed to have been extended, said is how to prepare Team Pilipinas for the world championship.
It can be recalled that after losing to Kazakhstan and Iran fifth window of the Asian qualifying, Guiao was reported as saying he was willing to resign from his position if the Philippines will fail to reach the world meet.
Such setbacks dropped the Philippines from the top 3, which guaranteed a seat in the World Cup, to 4th place in Group F and the Filipinos needed to win over the Kazakhs in its last Asian qualifiers match and for either of Lebanon, Jordan or Japan to lose their final game.
The Philippines routed Kazakhstan, 93-75, while Lebanon suffered a 72-84 loss to the Filipinos’ archrival South Korea paving the way for coach Yeng boys’ entry to the World Cup for the second straight time.
There was no official announcement yet, but it looks like the fiery mentor will keep his job as he braces the Philippines for the World Cup, which will be staged from August 31 to September 15.
If he will have his way, he would have wanted to start preparations right now, but for several considerations, whatever preparedness program he wants to implement has to wait till early April.
“There’s nothing to prepare for yet,” Guiao told this writer. “We still don’t know sino makakasama nating team sa grupo, so mahirap pang mag-plano kung anong klaseng preparasyon ang kailangan ng team.”
The drawing of lot to decide the team bracketing is March 15 yet. A total 32 teams have made it to the World Cup proper. They will be divided into eight groups of four teams each.
“Then we, too, have to consider the schedule of The PBA where members of the nationals come from,” Guiao said. “Members of the national team had just re-joined their mother teams in the PBA, tapos huhugutin na naman natin. Kawawa naman yung teams concerned.”
Coach Yeng assured that naturalized player Andray Blatche will be back to reinforce anew the National squad, but expressed doubts on Filipino-American Jordan Clarkson joining his team.
“Andray promised to be back as soon as his contract in China, where he is now playing, shall have been expired,” Guiao asserted. “Uuwi lang daw sandali sa US para magpahinga, tapos babalik na agad dito.”
“Si Jordan, doubtful pa. Iba kasi ang rule ng FIBA, mahigpit, but rest assured that the SBP (ruling basketball body Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas) will be doing everything to convince FIBA that he is a Filipino by blood and has secured a Philippine passport at age 16,” he said.
Coach Yeng assured, too, that his running as candidate to regain his congressional seat in Pampanga in this coming mid-term elections wouldn’t be a hindrance to coaching Team Pilipinas anew.
The post Preps for FIBA World Cup to start April – Guiao appeared first on The Manila Times Online.