SBP confirms Reyes as Gilas 2 mentor

Chot Reyes gets another shot at being a national head coach.             The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) named Reyes as mentor of the soon-to-be formed Smart Gilas 2, placing him in charge of the country’s bid to earn a berth in the 2014 FIBA World Basketball Championship in Spain.   No less than SBP president Manny V. Pangilinan announced the appointment of Reyes as national coach, Sunday.             “While we are extremely happy with Chot’s performance with our TNT team these past years, our duty to flag and country dictates that we engage the right person for this important national position,” said Pangilinan in a statement.             “After having been Gilas' assistant coach for the past two years, and with a sterling track record as coach, I believe Chot deserves this appointment.”             Reyes will continue in his capacity as coach of the Talk `N Text Tropang Texters in the PBA until the close of the 2011-12 season.             “Thereafter, Chot will concentrate full time on preparing Gilas for the 2013 FIBA-Asia tournament, which is the qualifying competition for the FIBA World Championships to be held in Spain in 2014," added the SBP president.   The major development also led Pangilinan to appoint this early, Ateneo coach Norman Black as Reyes’ successor with Talk `N Text beginning the 2012-13 season.   Last Saturday, Ateneo announced that Black will stay on as mentor of the Blue Eagles for the last time this coming UAAP season when the Katipunan-based school goes for a fifth straight men’s basketball title.   Pangilinan likewise added that Reyes ‘has also been appointed Executive Director of the MVP Sports Foundation, the umbrella organization of our group's overall effort in sports promotion and development.”              Reyes steered the Tropang Texters to four titles in five Finals appearances in eight conferences as Talk `N Text coach.   He was chief assistant to Serbian coach Rajko Toroman when Smart Gilas-Pilipinas reached the semifinals of last year’s FIBA-Asia Men’s qualifying tournament to the London Olympics. - AMD, GMA News