Shooting coach in Chot's sights

MANILA, Philippines - If San Antonio Spurs’ assistant coach Chip Engelland isn’t available, Smart Gilas mentor Chot Reyes will try to tap former Los Angeles Lakers guard Mike Penberthy as a shooting doctor for the national basketball team.

Reyes is now in the US to consult with dribble-drive motion offense creator Vance Walberg and scout Fil-Ams who could be prospects for the Asian Games in 2014. He’ll be gone a week. Reyes also plans to meet up with Miami coach Erik Spoelstra when the Heat plays the Los Angeles Clippers in a pre-season exhibition game in Shanghai on Oct. 14.

Penberthy, 37, was undrafted out of The Master’s College, where former PBA cager Jon Ordonio played, but worked his way to a spot with the Lakers. He saw action in 56 games for the Lakers, averaging 4.9 points and 15.4 minutes, in 2000-01 and 2001-02. The 6-3 sharpshooter was on the Lakers’ championship team in 2000-01 with Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Robert Horry, Rick Fox, Derek Fisher and Horace Grant. Last year, Penberthy worked with Cebuana Lhuillier and Letran star guard Kevin Alas in a one-month training program sponsored by Jean Henri Lhuillier in Los Angeles. Alas was chosen for the training scholarship by the ABA team Los Angeles Slam with which Penberthy is affiliated.

Engelland, who played for Jones Cup champion San Miguel Beer in 1985, was a shooting coach for Grant Hill, Steve Kerr, Corey Maggette, Chamique Holdsclaw and Shane Battier and now works with Tony Parker and the rest of the Spurs. He was previously contracted as a shooting coach by the Detroit Pistons and Denver Nuggets. In 2007, Engelland visited Manila to conduct clinics for San Miguel.

Reyes said Penberthy trains Gilas recruit Matt Ganuelas’ 18-year-old brother Brandon, a 6-7 forward with a year left in high school and now heavily recruited by NCAA Division I contenders.

Reyes’ son Josh, an assistant coach with Smart Gilas and Talk ‘N’ Text in the PBA, is also in the US to attend the three-day Nike Championship Clinic for coaches at Cuyahoga Heights High School in Cleveland, Ohio this week. Among the speakers in the high-powered clinic are Hall of Famer Bobby Knight, former NBA three-point specialist and Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg, Brad Stevens of Butler and Tara VanDerveer of Stanford.

Father and son conferred with Walberg in Fresno last weekend. Walberg is considered the “inventor” of the dribble-drive offense which he employed in piloting Fresno City College to a 133-11 record, including a perfect 34-0 slate, in 2003-06. His teams usually average 100 points a game because of his free-flowing offensive system. 

“Josh’s main assignment is to master the dribble-drive and he’s really embraced and learned it well,” said Reyes, referring to his 29-year-old son. “This opportunity to come face-to-face with Walberg is priceless for him. It’s the same way Tex Winter gave me a private tutoring on the triangle offense in 1998.”

Another Smart Gilas assistant coach Joseph Uichico is scheduled to leave for the US on Saturday. He will observe the Spurs practices as Engelland’s guest. Uichico will be given access to the San Antonio locker room in the Spurs’ pre-season games against Atlanta on Oct. 10 and Denver on Oct. 12. 

“I’m grateful to Chip for giving me this chance,” said Uichico. “I’m eager to experience how coach (Gregg) Popovich conducts his pre-game sessions and motivates his players. It won’t be an X and O learning experience with San Antonio. I’ll be more focused on how coach Popovich relates with his players. For the X and Os, I’ll be meeting with Walberg’s No. 1 disciple Ed Madec in Fresno in the second week of my trip.”

Madec, 39, took over from Walberg as Fresno City College coach and is known for teaching “toughness” on the court. Madec was called “Mad Dog” during his playing career. Uichico said he will sit down with Madec and learn more of the dribble-drive offense which Smart Gilas is adopting as its system.

Uichico, a Meralco assistant coach, will be on the Bolts bench for the game against Talk ‘N’ Text at the Big Dome on Friday. But he will miss Meralco’s outings against Alaska, Barangay Ginebra, Global Port and Air21 because of his US trip.

The dribble-drive offense is predicated on quickness and penetration but its success is determined by the ability to finish with an outside shot from a kick-out or a layup from a drop pass or a move to the basket. Tapping a shooting coach is critical to complete the training for a smooth execution of the dribble-drive play.