Josh’s turn at Gilas helm

MANILA, Philippines - Like father, like son.  Chot Reyes made a name for himself as the coach who brought the Philippines back to the FIBA World Cup in 2014 after a 36-year absence, became the first Filipino tactician to win the Jones Cup, captured eight PBA titles and earned five PBA Coach of the Year awards.

Now, it’s his son Josh’s turn to continue the family legacy in coaching. Josh, 33, is the head coach of the Gilas squad that will compete at the 12-nation FIBA Asia Challenge in Tehran on Sept. 9-18.  SBP executive director Sonny Barrios said yesterday the tournament is FIBA Asia’s “last hurrah” as an exclusive Asian conclave since starting next year, it will expand to include countries from Oceania under a new qualifying system for the World Cup and the Olympics.

“We’ve been waiting for the opportunity to give Josh a shot at becoming head coach,” said Barrios.  “Somehow, we couldn’t get the right timing until now.  He’s been a valuable assistant coach with Gilas.  For Tehran, coach Nash (Racela) isn’t available because of the coming UAAP season. Coach Tab (Baldwin) is focused on Ateneo while coaches Jong (Uichico), Norman (Black) and Alex (Compton) are busy in the PBA.  So it came down to Josh and we couldn’t be happier.  It’s about time he becomes a head coach.  He deserves it.”

Josh played varsity basketball at Ateneo since grade school and saw action for Viva Mineral Water in the PBL for two years, winning a championship in the process.  He played two more years with the Iligan Crusaders and Bacchus Manila in the NBC before deciding to go into coaching.  Josh is now assistant coach with TNT and FEU.

“This will be my first major head coaching job,” said Josh, the oldest of four children.  “I’ve been a long-time assistant coach for a lot of teams, mainly focusing on the dribble-drive motion offense and video scouting. My job with Gilas as head coach is only for the interim due to the schedule of this tournament.  I had to talk with coach Jong so that he can allow me to be away from TNT for a bit.  I have to prepare the scouting report first and videos for the two games that I’ll miss before I leave.”

Assisting Josh in Tehran are Mike Oliver and Ryan Betia.  “Coach Mike and his assistant (Mc Abolucion, a volunteer) are in our staff,” he said. “Coach Nash is also part of the staff but won’t go to Iran.  Coach Tab drops by practice from time to time, too.  Ryan’s with us at FEU.  He has worked with me for a while ever since he was still based in Cebu.  He knows how I run the dribble drive inside and out.  I’ve also trained him in video editing so I asked him to help me out because a lot of coaches are unavailable.”

At FEU, he said most of his work is in the offseason.  “I’m never around the UAAP season much,” said Josh who’s married to Maybel Natividad. “That’s for coach Nash.  I do majority of my work in the offseason, installing the system and helping to develop players’ decision-making within the system.”

 Chot said his son’s style is for him to develop as he has to coach and lead according to whom he is as a person.  He enumerated Josh’s strengths as “his deep understanding of the dribble-drive system, more than anyone in the country, and how to teach it … his vast experience in scouting opponents, breaking down their tendencies and being able to show it to the team using video … his passion for teaching and developing individual skills with Jayson Castro being the prime example … and his hunger for learning and expanding his knowledge.”  Chot and wife Cherry are understandably proud of their son who’s keeping alive the family tradition of coaching basketball at a high level.