The Philippines is one of the hosts for this year’s FIBA World Cup which features 32 nations battling it out for supremacy. However, the National team of the Philippines, Gilas Pilipinas, has already lost two games in the group stage. The matches against the Dominican Republic (No.23) and Angola (No.43) were very close and looked like that Gilas had the chance to win. Unfortunately, they fell short in the final moments. With that, Filipino fans are asking head coach Chot Reyes to step down and let another coach do the job. One man that comes to mind is Reyes’ current assistant coach in Gilas, Tim Cone. The Philippine Basketball Association’s (PBA) winningest coach is being called upon by fans and pundits to spearhead the talented basketball players representing the country. But, should Tim Cone really replace Chot Reyes?
Gilas Pilipinas is on the verge of being eliminated after losing to Angola
Last Friday, Gilas Pilipinas almost defeated the Dominican Republic which had NBA All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns. If it were not for Jordan Clarkson getting fouled out, the conclusion of the game would have been different. It was acceptable since Dominicana is a far better team than the Philippines in terms of world ranking. Then came the second game against Angola. The expectations were not high but fans believe that Gilas will win against Angola. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Five players from Angola, including Atlanta Hawks center Bruno Fernando, scored double digits. As a result, the team won, 80-70, against the Philippines.
Due to the unexpected ending, Filipinos are once again asking Chot Reyes to step down as head coach for Gilas Pilipinas. Even before the World Cup even commenced, Reyes was already being slammed due to his choices. In games, he would get boos instead of applause. Is it high time for Chot to leave his post?
People want Tim Cone to replace Chot Reyes
Chot Reyes is one of the most respected coaches in the PBA. Under him is another legendary coach, Tim Cone. The 25-time PBA champion is currently one of Reyes’s assistant coaches. After losing once again and being 0-2 in the group stage, people are calling for Tim Cone to replace Chot Reyes. It’s worth noting that Cone had already experienced leading Gilas Pilipinas during the 2019 Southeast Asian Games where they won the Gold Medal.
Itabi mo chot, ako naman. #Gilaspilipinas pic.twitter.com/vP8Ox5N1T6
— Lady Duterte (@Imyour__Lady) August 27, 2023
Yung nasa likod mo chot yung gusto naming maging coach ng gilas pilipinas. 😂 pic.twitter.com/RgBikmblTt
— Lady Duterte (@Imyour__Lady) August 27, 2023
Why do Filipino fans want Chot Reyes to be fired? Should Tim Cone replace him?
There are a lot of reasons why Filipinos hate Reyes.
- First, they think his tactics never work. Since the game against the Dominican Republic, Gilas Pilipinas’ offense has been solely dependent on Jordan Clarkson.
- Moreover, their defense also looked non-existent at times as observed during the match against Angola.
- Also, other players, despite their talents and skill, receive little to no action on the court. Take Kai Sotto and CJ Perez as examples. In game 1, Kai only played one minute while Perez was a DNP (Did Not Play).
- Not only that, many believe Chot has favoritism issues. Picking Kiefer Ravena (his godson) and RR Pogoy (a Talk ‘N Text player) over Bobby Ray Parks and Calvin Oftana now makes sense, at least for those who think so. People are already SBP (Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas) to let go of him and find another man that suits the job. If they lose against Italy, the Philippines’ chances of appearing in the 2024 Paris Olympics will be out of the window.
PLS FIRE CHOT REYES FROM GILAS IM SO DONE WITH HIM 😠pic.twitter.com/g2kNLEkrWO
— alab 🇵🇸 (@KarlMaalab) August 27, 2023
On the other hand, Tim Cone is already a tried and tested coach. He’s the winningest coach in the PBA and brought the Gold medal in 2019 after taking over Gilas Pilipinas. Should he take Reyes’ job? People are already agreeing on this thing and if they indeed get eliminated in the World Cup, maybe it’s time we see a change in direction.
Meanwhile, former Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tab Baldwin is still giving advice to the Nationals
Hours before Gilas Pilipinas took Angola head-on, Tab Baldwin had great insights that could have been a great tip. According to him, Angola has some of the best rim defenders, and shooting from a distant range would be the perfect way to score for the Philippines.
Aside from Tim Con, fans also want Tab Baldwin back as Gilas’ head coach. But, it seems he is more focused on coaching the Ateneo Blue Eagles right now.
Former Gilas Coach Tab Baldwin anticipates a challenging match as Gilas takes on Angola.#FIBAWC x #WinForPilipinas pic.twitter.com/dzGBXC92iB
— One Sports (@OneSportsPHL) August 27, 2023
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