Black Balik PBA

MANILA, Philippines - Ito na ang huling PBA season na mapapanood si Chot Reyes bilang head coach ng Tropang Texters.

Inihayag kahapon ni Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) president at Talk N’ Text owner Manny V. Pangilinan ang pagluluk­lok kay Reyes bilang mentor ng Smart Gilas II.

“While we are extremely happy with Chot’s performance with our TNT team these past years, our duty to flag and country dictates that we engage the right per­son for this important na­tional position,” wika ni Pa­ngilinan sa kanyang official statement.

Nilinaw ni Pangilinan, hindi na binigyan ng panibagong kontrata si Serbian coach Rajko Toroman, na tatapusin muna ni Reyes ang pangangasiwa niya sa Talk ‘N Text sa kasaluku­yang 37th season ng PBA, kabilang na rito ang Commissioner’s Cup at Governor’s Cup.

“After having been Gilas’ assistant coach for the past two years, and with a sterling track record as coach, I believe Chot deserves this appointment,” ani Pangilinan. “He will continue to be the Head Coach of the Talk N’ Text team until the end of the current PBA season, which will happen sometime in August.”

“Thereafter, Chot will concentrate full time on preparing Gilas for the 2013 FIBA-Asia tournament, which is the qualifying competition for the FIBA World Championships to be held in Spain in 2014,” dagdag pa nito.

Si Norman Black, isang Grand Slam coach sa PBA at sa UAAP, ang siyang sa­sapo sa maiiwang trabaho ni Reyes sa Tropang Texters.

Kagaya ni Reyes, nag­bigay sa Talk ‘N Text ng apat na PBA titles, tata­pusin din ni Black ang kan­yang trabaho para sa Ate­neo Blue Eagles na iginiya sa apat na sunod na UAAP crowns.

Naging coach na ng national squad si Reyes kung saan niya inihatid sa malamyang ninth place fi­n­ish ang koponan sa 2007 FIBA-Asia Championship sa Tokushima, Japan na siyang qualifying event para sa 2008 Beijing Olympic Games sa China.

Kasabay ng kanyang pag-upo bilang coach ng Smart Gilas II, kikilos din si Reyes bilang executive director ng MVP Sports Foundation, ang umbrella organization ng MVP group of companies, ni Pangi­l­inan.