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Chot Reyes vows to put up the best assembled team for 2023 FIBA World Cup

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Rey Joble

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Coach Chot Reyes. PBA Media Bureau." src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/tvpatrol/09/11/chot-reyes.jpg"/><figcaption>Coach Chot Reyes. PBA Media Bureau.</figcaption></figure></div>As the saying goes, it happens even to the best of them.On the heels of losing the gold medal in the SEA Games men’s basketball for the first time since 1989, Gilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes took full responsibility on this temporary setback suffered by the Philippine quintet in the biennial cage meet.“Of course, I’ve taken full responsibility for that. I’m not making any excuses. I take full accountability. But beyond that, what we’re really looking for is to be the best Asian team in the FIBA World Cup in 2023, so we can qualify for the Olympics in 2024,” Reyes told ABS-CBN News.In putting up the best roster, Reyes started by naming the members of the brain thrust who would help him prepare the squad for the biggest basketball event in the world to be hosted by the Philippines for the first time since 1978. Smart is the official global partner of FIBA for the World Cup and is the only telco partner worldwide of FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023. Get to stream the games live on Smart&#x27;s GigaPlay App, powered by the Philippines&#x27; fastest 5G mobile network.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/07/08/22/chot-reyes-returns-as-gilas-coach-for-2022-fiba-asia-cup">Chot Reyes returns as Gilas coach for 2022 FIBA Asia Cup</a></li></ul>Reyes started by bringing in his close friend, Tim Cone, whom he worked with in different capacities – be it with a club team or the national squad.Cone tapped Reyes to become one of his assistant coaches in Alaska in 1989 before the latter got his biggest break of his coaching career when he was named as head mentor of the Purefoods squad in 1993.Reyes immediately won a championship with Coney Island, the brand then carried by the old Purefoods franchise in his very first conference in the PBA.Chot won at the age of 29 years and nine months, five months older than Tommy Manotoc, the youngest ever coach to win a PBA title with U/Tex in 1978, according to PBA head of stats Fidel Mangonon III.When Cone coached the national team for the first time, the American bench tactician recalled Reyes to join him in his coaching staff; and the Philippine Centennial Team went on to win the gold medal in the 1998 William Jones Cup in Taipei and a bronze medal finish in the Bangkok Asian Games also played that same year.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/06/20/22/tnts-chot-reyes-is-pba-coach-of-the-year">TNT&#x27;s Chot Reyes is PBA Coach of the Year</a></li></ul>Reyes was appointed Philippine team head coach in 2005, but the Philippines was barred from playing in the FIBA-sanctioned events due to political turmoil in the country’s basketball federation, but while preparing for the 2007 FIBA Asia Championship, he brought in Cone this time, as one of his assistant coaches while the squad was training in the US.Aside from Cone, Reyes also named Jong Uichico, Nenad Vucinic and Goldwyn Monteverde to join his staff.Uichico has served as Reyes’ deputy as early as the first time the latter was named head coach of the national squad.Vucinic, a Serbian-Kiwi coach, on the other hand, handled Gilas Pilipinas in the previous window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifier when the country split its last two matches against New Zealand and India.Monteverde, champion coach of the newly-crowned UAAP titlist UP Fighting Maroons, is the latest inclusion in the squad as Reyes had now put together coaches that will equip the players who will be selected in next year’s World Cup. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/07/09/22/ray-parks-part-of-gilas-lineup-for-fiba-asia-cup-2022">Ray Parks part of Gilas lineup for FIBA Asia Cup 2022</a></li></ul>While Reyes had already brought in the great minds in Philippine basketball, he’s not in a rush to name the players at this time, but vowed they will do their best to bring in the best players. “That’s really the focus, that’s the objective of what we were really doing. There will be things that we will do from now until then, but not everyone will agree. But my message to our Filipino people, we have a very competent staff put together. Now we have Tim Cone, we have Jong Uichico, we have Nenad Vucinic with us. Goldwyn Monteverde was added. We have a great technical staff that were added. Yun ang sinusbukan natin, to bring in great coaches from different levels,” said Reyes. Bringing in the best coaches in one team isn’t something new for Reyes as he had done that in the past leading to the Philippine men’s basketball team’s return to the world stage for the first time in 40 years.In 2013, Reyes was assisted by Uichico, PBA grand slam coach Norman Black, Nash Racela and Josh Reyes while Tab Baldwin and Nacho Escaño worked behind the scenes in helping out Gilas’ preparation for the World Cup. The Philippines finished with a silver medal and qualified the world stage. “My job is not only to put the best team, but also the best coaches. If you recall, nung 2014 World Cup, aside from Coach Jong, we have Coach Norman, we have Josh (Reyes), we also have Nacho Escano and Coach Tab. We want to make sure that we also have the best coaching staff available,” said Reyes.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/07/03/22/pba-early-preps-paying-dividends-for-tnt-reserves">PBA: Early preps paying dividends for TNT reserves</a></li></ul>“So my message to the people is to hopefully, be patient, be understanding, be very supportive and to continue praying and continue supporting. If you look at the big picture, the target is really the World Cup 2023. I think that’s where you judge this team. What we’re doing now, this is not the best team. This is not the team for 2023, yet. Hopefully, some of them will make it, but hindi pa natin nakikita yung buong team.”

On the heels of losing the gold medal in the SEA Games men’s basketball for the first time since 1989, Gilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes took full responsibility on this temporary setback suffered by the Philippine quintet in the biennial cage meet.