Funny it's developed into a habit for some posters to bring up the gilasXboogers brawl whenever Chot gets mentioned as a possibility to coach gilas in 2023. As if it's what defines him as a national team coach. As if the incident didn't take two to tango and was all gilas' fault. As if the Aussies weren't disrespectful even the night before the game. As if the aussies themselves weren't playing dirty. Chot had several players in that game who were relatively new to international games of that level and magnitude. Pogoy, being one, looked like the one who instigated but wasn't really the case. Far from how a veteran like ranidel (except for the kuwait? UAE? incident, which he still got away from anyway) handles such situations. Hit somebody - that's something a ranidel or a pingris would know how to do. Have not heard anyone covering the 2014 games make remarks that ranidel is playing dirty, or even implied. Yet Giannis felt some. Pogoy, his inexperience showed. Anyway, so much for that.
Speaking of Pogoy, he's actually not that bad of an athlete for the
position he plays. He's what a typical non black athlete is, except for the height. Australians, and most European 2s and 3s are about the same athleticism, sometimes even less, but are much taller. And in relation to Chot's "midget ball", let us set aside that despite that, that gilas squad exceeded all expectations (personally, i preferred he had at least one less midget guard. Tenorio, to be particular), i dont think he'll have that anymore. Jason, Jimmy and company were the best 1 and 2s of that time that's why they're on that team (save for Romeo who was left out, and will prob
probably be left out again). Jason has long retired from fiba ball, Jimmy has long retired from playing (heard he's made it to the sacramento Kings, BTW), paul lee will be past his prime, tenorio will be too old too. Clarkson (regardless if as a local or an NP) will provide a lot of size at the back court. Perez and Bollick, i bet will make Chot's lineup. Other candidates ray Parks, JGDL are 6'4 and 6'2. We might even end up with a smaller backcourt if tab handles the team (Ravena, Nieto).
Politics under local coaches. We think there'll be none under a foreign coach? As good as tab is, he'll have less able players either because of availability (ateneo and MVP teams) or none availability (rival schools, SMC teams). Batang gilas, even with tab as program director, was affected a lot by politics. If we really want a foreign coach, get him over now because the shorter the time he's here, the more politics will get in the way of choice players. Toroman who was new to the scene knew too little about the local talents, he ended up with a lot of lemons. I bet most were from recommendations. Had he knew better, half the team would've been different. Im all for a good international coach, but if we cant get him to come soon, id prefer having "puro puso lng daw" chot Reyes.