MANILA, Philippines — Philippine national basketball team head coach Yeng Guiao said yesterday he’ll retain the same staff that worked in the recent Asian Games for the coming fourth window of the 2019 FIBA Asia/Pacific World Cup Qualifiers and has initiated a program to institutionalize scouting in international competition.
Guiao will bring along assistant coaches Caloy Garcia, Ryan Gregorio, Ford Arao, Matt Makalintal and Ricky Umayam to Tehran for the Philippines’ game against Iran in the next window of the FIBA Qualifiers on Sept. 13. Gregorio, recently appointed special assistant to SBP president Al Panlilio, will also serve as chief scout, a role he played in Jakarta with significant success.
Guiao said he’s now studying whom to match up against Iran’s 6-11 Hamed Haddadi, a former NBA center. Haddadi, 33, had announced he would retire from representing the country after the Asian Games but with Iran hosting the next contest against the Philippines in the FIBA Qualifiers, it doesn’t look like the former Memphis Grizzlies and Phoenix Suns giant may be ready to hang up his sneakers. Haddadi was dominant in the Asian Games, compiling 23 points, seven rebounds, eight assists and four blocked shots in Iran’s 80-68 semifinal win over South Korea and scoring a game-high 27 in the 84-72 loss to China for the gold medal. With that kind of performance, it’s unlikely Haddadi will retire any time soon.
“Without JuneMar (Fajardo) and Andray (Blatche), Greg (Slaughter) and Asi (Taulava) are our best options, size-wise,” said Guiao. “Christian (Standhardinger) will also match up against Haddadi since he’s played so well so far.”
Gregorio said it’s crucial for Slaughter to join the squad. “Greg’s availability will surely boost our chances,” he said. “Coach Yeng wants Greg but we’re getting advice from SBP on his eligibility as a local.” Slaughter suited up for the national team at the 2010 FIBA Asia Champions Cup in Qatar, the 2011 SEA Games and the 2011 SEABA Cup. Gregorio said the assumption is Haddadi will suit up for Iran.
As for Taulava, Gregorio said his game has evolved. “He’s transformed from an exclusive inside player to a big man floor spacer,” said Gregorio. “While his defense was a constant, especially against massive opponents, his three-point shooting was his featured weapon in the Asian Games. He was on target against Syria (with three triples in the first quarter) that I christened him ‘Steph Asi for three.’”
Before the Philippines whipped Syria for fifth place, Guiao spoke to the team in the lockerroom. “Coach Yeng became very emotional and held back his tears several times,” said Gregorio. “He was so thankful to work with these gallant men and grateful to serve our country. Players responded not with words but with action. We beat Syria by 54. It’s great working with coach Yeng. Tunay para sa bayan.”
Gregorio said Guiao’s idea to institutionalize scouting is timely. “Scouting has become a norm in international competition,” he said. “Coach Yeng proposed this idea to benefit future national coaches and national teams. He was passionate in his proposal to collate scouting reports, game plans, profiles of opponents, video strategies and submit to SBP. It will serve as a library of ideas and instant data bank that coaches can use as reference. Everything that we submit will be the property of SBP. For coach Yeng, it will save man hours and coaches can just get the information right way.”
Gregorio said he will operationalize the idea. “Coach Yeng appointed me as his chief scout for the Asian Games so my priority now is to get all the data from coaches Caloy, Ford, Matt and Ricky and start it,” he said. “We will submit everything to SBP. That will be our contribution to Philippine basketball. We recommend that future national coaches do the same, all for the benefit of Philippine basketball.”