But basketball coaches ready to contest move

The Basketball Coaches Association of the Philippines will contest the decision of the Talk ’N Text ballclub in the event it will appoint American Bill Bayno as coach of the team in the Philippine Basketball Association.

The coaches’ group said it would cite the ruling the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) implemented on Ron Jacobs’ case in 1998.

BCAP president Chito Narvasa has called a board meeting tomorrow to map out their plan against the possible takeover by Bayno of the position vacated by Louie Alas after the 2001 PBA campaign.

Bayno, a former University of Nevada at Las Vegas (UNLV) coach, is set to arrive in the country tomorrow.

"DOLE had a ruling on the case filed by the BCAP under president Yeng Guiao in 1998. Ang logical na posisyon ng BCAP ngayon is to ask the DOLE to implement the ruling on the case of Mr. Bayno," said a BCAP director.

He also said the DOLE ruling during the administration of former President Fidel Ramos four years ago was to bar any foreigner from assuming any job which a qualified Filipino can do. Thus, the following year, San Miguel decided to relegate Jacobs as a consultant, elevating Jong Uichico to the head coach position.

Norman Black and Tim Cone, both American coaches, are allowed to work as head coaches, being permanent residents in the country, according to a STAR source.

"On the Bayno case, we can say there are many qualified Filipino coaches as we can see the likes of Yeng Guiao, Perry Ronquillo and Uichico doing well in the PBA," said the same source.

Talk ’N Text team manager Frankie Lim said he expected the BCAP to question the appointment of Bayno.

After toiling in mediocrity under five local coaches, Talk ’N Text team owner Manny Pangilinan decided to enlist a foreign coach. He himself went to the United States recently to supervise interviews of potential people for the job.

The Phone Pals have tapped at least six coaches, among them Alas and Black, since Mobiline took over the franchise from Lapanday Holdings, mother company of Pepsi, in 1996.

In that stretch, the team turned in a highest finish of a final appearance in a regular tournament, winning the Centennial Cup, a side event organized to hone the national team to the 1998 Asian Games. — Nelson Beltran