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Coach Chot unsurprised, unbothered by clamor for Baldwin -- 'Least of my problems'

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Gilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes. FIBA.basketball " src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/sports/02/28/fiba_ph-chot-reyes.jpg"/><figcaption>Gilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes. FIBA.basketball </figcaption></figure></div>MANILA, Philippines -- Gilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes was not surprised to learn that fans at the Araneta Coliseum were clamoring for Tab Baldwin, although he personally did not hear the chants.Fans inside the Big Dome called for Baldwin to return as head coach of Gilas Pilipinas after the national team suffered an 88-63 defeat against New Zealand in the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/02/28/22/fiba-gilas-fans-call-for-tab-baldwins-return">FULL STORY: In Big Dome and online, Gilas fans call for Tab Baldwin&#x27;s return</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/02/27/22/fiba-gritty-gilas-falls-short-against-new-zealand">GAME RECAP: Gritty Gilas falls short against New Zealand</a></li></ul>Speaking on CNN Philippines&#x27; Sports Desk on Monday morning, Reyes maintained that he did not hear the chants of &quot;We want Baldwin&quot; that the crowd reportedly did as Gilas slumped in the second half.&quot;I did not hear it last night, to be very honest,&quot; said Reyes, who took over as Gilas coach in early February, after the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) said that Baldwin had opted to focus on his duties with Ateneo de Manila University.&quot;Realistically, when the ball game starts, I don&#x27;t hear much, I don&#x27;t see much because my entire focus is on what&#x27;s going on,&quot; the coach also said.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/01/31/22/fiba-chot-reyes-back-as-gilas-pilipinas-coach">READ: Chot Reyes back as Gilas Pilipinas coach</a></li></ul>Nonetheless, he was informed by his family of what happened, and Reyes took the chants and criticisms in stride.&quot;Just (to be) very honest, I expected it. I came into this job, I accepted this job with my eyes wide open. I had no pretensions, I had no illusions that this was going to be easy,&quot; said Reyes.&quot;I knew I was going to get widely bashed, and criticized and hated upon, and I still took it nonetheless. Because that&#x27;s never going to get in the way of my service to my country,&quot; he added.Reyes has had great success with the national team before, most notably in 2013 when he steered them to a second-place finish in the FIBA Asia Championships that netted them a spot in the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.But his stint in 2018 ended in ignominious fashion, as he resigned in the aftermath of the national team&#x27;s infamous brawl with Australia in the FIBA World Cup qualifiers.The SBP&#x27;s decision to replace Baldwin with Reyes was met with mixed reactions, as Filipino fans questioned the timing and the wisdom behind the move. Baldwin had been widely celebrated for implementing a program and a system that led Gilas to great success in 2021. In particular, a young team that featured no PBA players had twice beaten South Korea in the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers.<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Former Gilas coach Tab Baldwin. FIBA.basketball" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/sports/02/28/tab-baldwin.jpg"/><figcaption>Former Gilas coach Tab Baldwin. FIBA.basketball</figcaption></figure></div>It was thus not entirely surprising that the fans, even as they cheered for the national team, made their feelings about Reyes known.&quot;That&#x27;s the least of my problems,&quot; Reyes said of the fans&#x27; demands. &quot;I have a lot bigger problems on my plate right now than to mind those, the haters and the bashers.&quot;Reyes also said the same fans who are calling on him to be replaced by Baldwin are not aware of &quot;what&#x27;s going on&quot; within the inner circle of the national team and the program. The SBP, when it announced Reyes&#x27; appointment, did not fully explain Baldwin&#x27;s departure and included no words from the former coach.Baldwin has also yet to make a public comment on his exit from the national team program.&quot;They don&#x27;t know what&#x27;s going on inside. I mean, if they are here inside, then they can speak, and they can comment all they want, if they know what&#x27;s going on,&quot; said Reyes.&quot;But unless they&#x27;re here inside, in the very inner, the innards of the team, then whatever they say has very little meaning to me. I don&#x27;t pay any attention to it,&quot; he stressed.Reyes said he only wishes for fans to &quot;just be kind.&quot;&quot;Just be kind and compassionate, because hating will get you nowhere. That bitterness inside of those hating on the program or on me personally, what are you going to get from that, right?&quot; he said.&quot;So just be kind because we never really know what other people are going through.&quot;RELATED VIDEO<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NEMJjUoniHE?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

Gilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes was not surprised to learn that fans at the Araneta Coliseum were clamoring for Tab Baldwin.

Coach Chot unsurprised, unbothered by clamor for Baldwin -- 'Least of my problems'

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Coach Chot unsurprised, unbothered by clamor for Baldwin -- 'Least of my problems'

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published February 28, 2022 02:50 PM PHT

Read More:

basketball

FIBA

FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers

Gilas Pilipinas

Chot Reyes

Tab Baldwin

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