OUTSIDE of Jimmy Alapag, former Gilas Pilipinas mentor Chot Reyes suggested three members of the national team who he believes have a good future in coaching.
Reyes mentioned LA Tenorio, Gabe Norwood, and the recently retired Ranidel De Ocampo as those who could become good coaches someday.
"I think LA (Tenorio) will become a great coach. Ranidel will turn out be a pretty good coach just in his demeanor and his understanding of the game, and Gabe Norwood certainly will turn out to be a good coach," said the eighth-time PBA champion coach, who steered the country back to the FIBA World Cup in 2014 after a 36-year absence.
Reyes singled out the three Gilas stalwarts along with Alapag, now head coach of Alab Pilipinas, during a recent coaching webinar sponsored by the Hoop Coaches International in cooperation with Blackwater under assistant team governor and sports consultant Ariel Vanguardia.
All four players were part of the national team that beat South Korea, 86-79, in a dramatic FIBA Asia Men's Championship semifinals game in 2013 that clinched for the country a return trip to the World Cup.
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Both Alapag and De Ocampo are now retired, while Tenorio and Norwood still play for Barangay Ginebra and Rain or Shine, respectively.
But Reyes sees a common denominator of them becoming great mentors if and when they pursue coaching careers someday.
"Everyone there will have their crack and their shot, but aside from Jimmy, it's LA, Ranidel, and Gabe. I think they'll turn out to be pretty good coaches themselves," said Reyes.
Tenorio incidentally, has started branching out into coaching and serves as deputy mentor to Bonnie Tan at Letran where they won last year's NCAA men's basketball title against San Beda.
Alapag is now actually into full-time coaching and already won a championship with Alab Pilipinas during the 2018 ASEAN Basketball League.
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He's also an assistant coach at San Miguel Beer under Leo Austria.
That the former Gilas team captain has found a new basketball career after his playing years no longer surprised Reyes.
"Jimmy was already a coach even before he became a coach. Naglalaro pa lang si Jimmy coach na talaga siya. He had that mind already," said the only five-time winner of the Virgilio 'Baby' Dalupan PBA Coach of the Year.(RG)
