SMC coaching staff reshuffled

San Miguel Corporations continued its personnel overhaul with SMC basketball operations chief Robert Non announcing Wednesday a major reshuffle of bench tacticians and staffs of three teams under the food and beverage conglomerate.

Only the staff of coach Ryan Gregorio of the recently crowned All-Filipino champion Purefoods Chunkee was not affected by the revamp.

Jong Uichico, Siot Tanquingcen and Art dela Cruz were reunited at Barangay Ginebra, Chot Reyes, Biboy Ravanes, Nash Racela and Aboy Castro were sent to San Miguel Beer while Boybits Victoria, Richie Ticzon and George Ella were transferred to Coca-Cola to assist Binky Favis.

Uichico, with six titles under his belt with the Beermen, moved over to Ginebra, taking over the rein from Tanquingcen who slid down as assistant together with Dela Cruz and holdover Junno Sauler.

Reyes, with four championships to his credit, is back in the PBA to call the shots for the Beermen after being allowed to concentrate with his task at the RP training pool for over two years.

Ravanes was picked from Ginebra, Racela from Coca-Cola and Castro from the RP pool to once again work as deputies to Reyes. Their partnership produced the 2002 All-Filipino and 2003 Reinforced Conference championships for the Tigers.

"We just want them to be like our people in the company. We want them to be multi-faceted. How do you do that? You rotate them in different departments," said Non.

"In some extent, para rin itong pahiyang. We want all our teams to be competitive," Non added.

Informed of the revamp Wednesday, the coaches started working with their new teams yesterday except for Reyes and Castro who’re with the RP team in an invitational tilt in Qatar.

Tanquingcen took his demotion in stride. "I’m quite fine with it. I believe I still have a lot to learn from coach Jong who’s considered one of the best coaches in the land," he said

"Since I got here I’ve been preaching playing as a team to achieve our goal. I’m just a part of a team and I think I can show the players this by doing everything I can to help the team whether I’m the coach or assistant or ball boy. I would do everything I can to help our cause," he added.

Non stressed, though, that the coaches’ new appointments are not permanent.

"The coaches will be assessed every season or even on a per-conference basis," said Non.