YENG Guiao didn’t see it coming.
Nine years removed as head coach of the Philippine team which finished eighth in the FIBA Asia Championship, the fiery mentor was contented calling the shots for a PBA squad until a shocking scene happened early this month that led to the suspension of our Gilas players and coaches.
Now Mr. Guiao is back temporarily taking over the head coaching post of the national team headed to the Asian Games and bankrolled by Rain or Shine.
“It’s something that I didn’t expect to happen. I didn’t apply for the job either,” Mr. Guiao told BusinessWorld in a telephone interview. “It just so happened that the coaches and the players got suspended following the unfortunate incident that took place during the Gilas-Australian match.”
But Mr. Guiao believes it’s something any coach cannot turn their backs on and he looks forward to the challenges of putting up the best squad possible for the Asian Games in Jakarta in the third week of August.
In his return to the international caging scene, Rain or Shine, a company close to his heart, came to reach out to Mr. Guiao and asked his services to coach the national team to the Asiad. The Elasto Painters owned by Raymond Yu and Terry Que, were requested by PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial to form the team with majority of Gilas players unable to participate due to the suspension. Mr. Guiao may have already left Rain or Shine two seasons ago, but he was still the one pursued by the team owners and even its head coach, Caloy Garcia, who deferred from handling the team and make room for the re-entry of his old mentor.
“We don’t have anyone among our coaches who has the international experience, so we decided to request for coach Yeng Guiao. At least, he is already familiar with the system.”
THE REUNION
At least for a month, Mr. Guiao will be reunited with his old wards and in his return to the international scene, he wants it to be a big, big reunion. He wants his players back in the line up so they could catch up for lost time.
“We don’t have the luxury of time now. We want to bring in players no stranger to the system,” added Mr. Guiao.
As of the moment, current Rain or Shine players who played under Mr. Guiao are likely to see action in the Asian Games among them include Gabe Norwood, Chris Tiu, Beau Belga, Raymond Almazan and Jewel Ponferrada.
James Yap, who played for Mr. Guiao in 2009 with the Powerade Pilipinas team, is also expected to join.
Mr. Guiao is also hoping to get his old wards who are not playing with Rain or Shine anymore — Paul Lee of Magnolia and Jeff Chan of Ginebra — but the fiery mentor believes that getting players from Ginebra and San Miguel Beer, two teams which will figure in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup best-of-seven championship series will be a far-fetched reality.
MORE GOOD NEWS
Mikee Romero, team owner of GlobalPort, heard that Mr. Guiao is asking for his top player Stanley Pringle and he immediately released the explosive guard to join the national team to the Asian Games.
“We have no problems releasing him to Coach Yeng. I like Coach Yeng. I like the way he coaches and how he handles his squad,” said Mr. Romero.
Mr. Guiao was overwhelmed to learn that Mr. Pringle will be joining the team and is hoping Magnolia would allow Mr. Lee to join to form an explosive backcourt combination for the Philippine quintet.
The fiery mentor expects a few more names to be loaned by their respective squads once the PBA board convenes. — Rey Joble
