It’s Derrick, not Chot at TnT

Derrick Pumaren is returning as head coach of the Piltel franchise in the Philippine Basketball Association.

The Talk n Text management has tapped Pumaren to take over from Joel Banal who resigned from his post after a mediocre finish by the Pals in the ongoing PBA Fiesta Cup.

Sources said the management will make an official announcement on Pumaren’s appointment today.

Pumaren, a battle-tested bench tactician who won championships with Swift’s in the PBA, La Salle in the UAAP and Magnolia in the PABL, has coached the team while it was still called the Mobiline Cellulars in 1997.

He served as the TnT consultant in the Fiesta Cup.

Apparently, Pumaren was chosen by the TnT management over Chot Reyes.

However, Reyes quashed speculations he contemplated leaving the San Miguel Group for another organization in the PBA.

Reyes, the Coca-Cola coach on loan to the RP team, said his commitment to the national basketball training pool remains his top priority.

"Amid all the talks surrounding my being considered for another team’s coaching job, I would like to affirm my commitment to the San Miguel organization," Reyes said.

When Banal stepped down as head coach of Talk n Text last week, Reyes’ name came out in the papers as among those being considered by Phone Pals management for the job.

"The Chairman (Eduardo Cojuangco Jr.) and Mr. Ramon Ang (SMC president) have treated me very well and have given me no reason to go anywhere," said Reyes in a short statement.

The national training pool resumed practice the other day in anticipation of the lifting of the suspension order handed down by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) on the country over the leadership row between the Philippine Olympic Committee and the Basketball Association of the Philippines. — Nelson Beltran