BCAP withdraws case vs Shell’s Moran

The Basketball Coaches Association of the Philippines (BCAP) yesterday withdrew its opposition to the appointment of American John Moran as Shell coach following an agreement it made with the ballclub’s management to help its program for local coaches.

The BCAP also said Shell has agreed to help the association craft an agreement with the PBA on the hiring of foreign coaches in the league.

Meanwhile, Coca-Cola signed up five players, led by rookie draftee Gary David, practically on the 11th hour before today’s deadline of submission of lineups for the PBA Fiesta Cup starting Feb. 22 at the Araneta Coliseum.

David got a P2.1-million deal for two years. Rob Wainwright, William Antonio, Jeck Chia and Freddie Abuda signed contract-extension pacts.

Rafi Reavis, the only Tiger still under negotiation, is expected to get his own contract today. Reavis and the Coca-Cola management are simply tying up loose ends particularly on bonuses and other incentives.

At Sta. Lucia, Nelbert Omolon inked a P2.7-million contract spread over two and a half years.

BCAP president Chito Narvasa said they will withdraw their petition paper against Moran’s application for a working permit at the Department of Labor and Employment as soon as they formalize their agreement with the Shell team management.

"Everything is okay now in principle. We’re withdrawing our case against Moran with Shell making a commitment to support our program to develop coaches in the Philippines. Shell also promised to help us have an agreement with the PBA on the standard to be met regarding foreign nationals allowed to coach in the league," Narvasa told The STAR.

"Actually, noong panahon pa ni (former Talk n Text coach Bill) Bayno dapat nangyari ito. Pero may nangyari lang masama na ayaw ko ng ungkatin pa," Narvasa added. "I don’t want the BCAP to appear always belligerent. I want us to be productive. With this, I want to move on to the next level."

Actually, there were still some "hardliners" in the local coaches group but they eventually gave in on Shell’s commitment to help put up a standard for foreign coaches working in the PBA.

"The BCAP has already made a proposal pero hindi na pwedeng i-apply kay Moran dahil nandito na siya. From here on na siguro," said Narvasa on the proposal he drafted together with coaches Norman Black, Perry Ronquillo, Bong Go and Tanny Gonzales.

Among the requirements in the BCAP proposal is that a foreign coach should have been a head coach or assistant coach in the US NCAA for at least 10 years. He must also have a college degree, never committed any ethical violation in any basketball association, must not exceed one fiscal season in the PBA and must be willing to render clinics for the BCAP members.

"Kailangan din siya lang ang foreign coach sa team niya. Yung immediate assistant niya should be a Filipino para talaga transfer of technology. But of course, all these are subject to the approval of the PBA at dito papasok ang tulong ng Shell," said Narvasa.

Perhaps more importantly, Narvasa said Shell also agreed to extend financial support to BCAP’s programs to develop coaching in the country.

"There’s no commitment kung magkano dahil hindi ko naman pinagbibili iyan. Ang importante may mga institutions like Shell, PBA, PBL and others na tutulong sa amin in our program with the end view of having local coaches and players at par with the international standard," said Narvasa. "Ang BCAP nakakatulong sa pagpapadala ng mga coaches to attend clinics in the US. Nandiyan si Louie Alas and Koy Banal among others. Pero paano naman iyung walang means," Narvasa added.

Narvasa said the BCAP has been going nationwide, holding clinics in the countryside. "A few days ago lang nasa ARMM (Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao) kami ni coach Yeng Guiao at Tanny Gonzales," he said.