MANILA – Jong Uichico has been named the head coach for Gilas Pilipinas Men for the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers (ACQ) November window.
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) president Al Panlilio made the announcement in an online press conference on Thursday.
Uichico, SBP program director for Gilas Men Tab Baldwin, and Boyet Fernandez were initially named to the Nationals' coaching staff last week, but it was not revealed who is the official chief gaffer until Panlilio's public announcement.
Uichico has been known as a champion in the professional ranks, winning nine Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) titles with three teams - - San Miguel, Ginebra, and TNT.
Uichico also handled the Philippines on various occasions before his new stint, the last being the 2017 Southeast Asian Games.
Uichico will coach a team consisting of current and recently graduated collegiate standouts, known as the Gilas Cadets, as the first team mainstays are unavailable due to the PBA bubble in Angeles.
Handling an all-Cadets lineup is not new to Uichico as he was actually the head coach for Gilas Cadets, then known as Sinag Pilipinas, in the 2013 Southeast Asian Games in Naypyidaw, Myanmar.
However, this is the first time Uichico will actually coach the Cadets in a FIBA-sanctioned event.
"It's a welcome challenge. It's something new, but I always welcome the challenge," said Uichico.
Gilas Men are currently inside a training bubble at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.
"We're trying to do the best we can in trying to make them ready for the international game," Uichico shared what his coaching staff is doing inside the bubble. "We're trying to keep things as simple as possible--things that they can comprehend and execute the best way they can."
He added that they will fly for Manama, Bahrain on Sunday.
Gilas Men will play the November window of the FIBA ACQ inside a bubble in Bahrain's capital city.
They are initially scheduled to face Thailand twice on Nov. 26 and 30 with a Nov. 28 battle between South Korea in between.
However, a revised schedule surfaced on Monday night could see Gilas Men possibly playing a game for four straight days from Nov. 27-30.
Panlilio said the SBP is appealing to FIBA to retain the original schedule instead of the proposed daily grind.
Gilas Men are grouped with South Korea, Thailand, and Indonesia in Group A of the ACQ.
However, South Korea has been vocal recently about possibly begging off from the Bahrain bubble.
There were also uncertainties on whether Thailand will still show up until the team confirmed its participation by parading an all-pro lineup. (PNA)
