Chot puts RP cage program on hold

National coach Chot Reyes has put on hold his program for the national team pending formal notice on the status of Philippine basketball following the Filipino cage leaders’ meeting in Japan over the weekend.

"For now, the program is held in abeyance pending formal notice on what happened in Japan," said Reyes who, at the moment, is concentrating on his new job as coach of the San Miguel Beer squad in the PBA.

"If something positive really happened, then I have to sit down with (PBA) commissioner Noli Eala and the San Miguel management and discuss the matter," Reyes added. "For now, it’s hard to tell. For all we know, they have already another coach in mind."

Reyes decided to shelve the program halfway through his three-year plan of training and preparing the team with the end goal of the Philippines gaining a return stint in the Olympics in Beijing in 2008.

"We’d been sidetracked in our program because of the suspension. For one, we missed last year’s FIBA-Asia championship, thus, losing the opportunity to qualify in the world championship," said Reyes.

"Wala na yung programa na yon," Reyes rued.

While practically all his players insist they want to play in the Asian Games in Doha, Qatar this December, Reyes understands that it’s a foregone conclusion with the Asian Games running smack with the crucial stretch of the elimination round of the PBA Philippine Cup.

Reyes said what they could look forward to is the 2007 FIBA-Asia championship also in Japan which serves as the qualifier for the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

However, only one Olympic slot is to be contested in that FIBA tourney with China, being the host country, already seeded in the 2008 Olympics.

If China rules the qualifier, the Philippines must finish second place to make it to the Beijing Games.

"That tournament is the one we should really prepare for. But I don’t want to move any further at the moment," said Reyes.

As part of his original program, the Nationals had stints in the Jones Cup, the Brunei Sultan Cup, in a Las Vegas pro-am tourney, in a Qatar mini-tourney and played a number of tune-up matches including against Lebanon and the Athletes in Action.