By REYNALD MAGALLON
Current Meralco consultant and Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas grassroots program head Norman Black is set to become the head coach of the Gilas Pilipinas team that will see action in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.
The development was first reported by Philstar.com and a source later on confirmed to Tempo-Manila Bulletin that Gilas team manager Alfrancis Chua had already talked to Black to take the job.
Should push through, it will mark the return of Black in Gilas coaching duty – a role he is reprising for the first time since 2011 where he steered a Ray Parks Jr, Kiefer Ravena and Chris Tiu-led national team to a gold medal finish.
Gilas head coach Tim Cone had earlier revealed that a separate Gilas team will be fielded for the biennial meet as his current crop of national team players are likely to be busy for their respective leagues by then.
The SEA Games is running smack with the Philippine Cup, making PBA players unavailable for Gilas.
The same could be said for overseas players since it is unlikely that they will get their releases from their teams since the SEA Games is outside the designated FIBA calendar where leagues around Asia are required to lend their players to the national teams.
Another way is to tap collegiate standouts to comprise the team – an option that isnt entirely strange for the national team which had also sent amateur players to the SEA Games through its Gilas Cadets program.
