The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP), the Philippines' governing body for the sport of basketball, recently announced some movements in its overall structure and unveiled its new logo, as well as introduced the new branding and logos of the national teams for different basketball competitions.
SBP President Al Panlilio emphasized that the overall structure of the SBP is founded upon six pillars, namely the Gilas Pilipinas Men, Gilas Pilipinas Women, Gilas Pilipinas Youth, Gilas Pilipinas 3x3, the SBP Academy for Coaches and Tournaments, and the SBP Academy for Referees and Table Officials.
Former national team coach and multi-titled PBA mentor Joseph "Jong" Uichico will supervise the SBP Academy for Coaches and Tournaments, while University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Executive Director Rebo Saguisag will oversee the SBP Academy for Referees and Table Officials.
For the four different basketball competition programs, the SBP named Coach Joseller "Yeng" Guiao as head of men's basketball, UAAP champion Coach Patrick Aquino as head of women's basketball, Coach Tab Baldwin as head of the youth program, and Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) legend Ronnie Magsanoc as the head for 3x3.
According to SBP Special Assistant to the President Ryan Gregorio, the SBP brain trust discussed the track records of each appointee, their influence in the realm of basketball, and the kind of push they will be able to provide for each pillar to reach the next level. After scrutiny, the SBP felt the above-named individuals are the people that can lead Philippine basketball to greater heights. "[All of them] are personalities who are credible and have great leadership skills," Gregorio said.
Uichico has coached practically all levels of basketball, is multi-titled, and has vast coaching experience both here and abroad. The pillar he will head is tasked with raising the level of basketball coaching throughout the nation, guaranteeing access of coaches to the ever-advancing and expanding techniques and strategies, and ensuring that the sport is played nationwide in an organized and well-supervised environment. This goes hand-in-hand with the mandate of Saguisag's pillar, which is to achieve the highest standards of game officiating and the capabilities of technical officials. After all, referees and table personnel are as much a part of the sport as the players and coaches and essential for the proper staging of every game and tournament. Having watched over one of the university leagues for a few years now, and seeing the ill-effects of poor officiating and game supervision, Saguisag should be well-equipped for the task at hand.
The naming of Guiao as men's basketball head coach was merely a formality as he has handled the team since the middle of 2018. Known as a fiery, intense coach, Guiao has succeeded in seizing control of the Gilas Pilipinas Men, earning the trust of all the players who have been part of the pool since he took over and enticing others not yet included to raise their hands and volunteer for inclusion. Deemed an equal opportunity guy ever since, he has succeeded in his coaching career by bringing forth the full effort of his players and raising their confidence by showing trust in them. Despite some setbacks along the way, Guiao steered the program into the upcoming FIBA World Cup in China from August to September 2019. Following his lead, the team should certainly compete hard and give opponents a run for their money there.
Aquino has been at the helm of the national women's team for a few years now. His success in the number one university women's program (National University) has been remarkable and he is the author of a string of unbeaten seasons. Admittedly, though, his stint with the Gilas Pilipinas Women (formerly called Perlas Pilipinas) has been tough. The team is surely on the rise, has a load of talent, but is lacking in size, although never in heart. More international exposure in recent years has surely helped the program.
Aquino was very thankful to the SBP for giving him a chance to continue leading the women's team, which shows its trust in his visions and capabilities. "I don't want to waste this opportunity that has been given to me", he said. "We are focusing now on the holistic and sustainable development of women's basketball. We are reviving our grassroots programs, we are making progress with the national team, and we have Filipino-foreigners coming in. I'm happy and really thrilled that there are so many players who are interested and who want to take part." Surely, things are looking bright for the women's squad and the entire women's program.
The appointment that perhaps elicited the loudest applause was that of Baldwin as the head of the youth program. There were reports that he would be named as the head coach of the different youth squads, but recently, the SBP announced that Sandy Arrespacochaga would be handling the U19 and U16 national teams. However, Baldwin overseeing the entire youth program seems a perfect fit as he has shown the ability to uplift the level of understanding and execution of the younger players, the patience to mentor them, and the willingness and passion to work with them. He has brought success to whatever basketball program he has joined and, hopefully, Baldwin's basketball brilliance will be the foundation that keeps the entire Gilas program going and rising in the years to come.
Former pro and national team guard Magsanoc begins his leadership of the 3x3 program in a unique position. This is the first time that the Philippines has really focused itself on this new Olympic competition, a discipline that is becoming more and more popular worldwide and where the Philippines has, to some extent, showed vast potential. Since height and overall size do not matter as much in 3x3, the usual drawback of the country in regular five-on-five basketball is negated. Quickness, smarts, and the ability to score in every which way are keys, and Magsanoc, a deceptively quick, cerebral player back in his day who was an impeccable shooter, seems to be a wise choice. Of course, repeated competition and exposure is important in 3X3 and there is a need to groom players dedicated to 3X3. This is, after all, a totally different sport from the one Filipinos have grown to love through the years.
According to Gregorio, the desire of the current SBP leadership is "to 'future-proof' our federation. It is incumbent upon us, current leaders, to ensure the systems are in place for the next-generation leaders to follow and sustain. With the new structure, the deliverables are understood and the accountability of each individual is clear." Gregorio stressed that, "we can easily identify which program is not performing well and it is easier to come up with solid interventions to make it better."
Regarding the new SBP logo, Gregorio pointed out that the bolder lines in the logo signify a stronger federation, which is embarking on a disciplined direction. "We know where we are heading and we have clear idea of our endgame."
As for the updated Gilas Pilipinas branding, which has a totally different look, Gregorio said that "the SBP wants to make sure that all basketball teams have consistent branding to minimize confusion. The Gilas Pilipinas brand is by far the most popular and has the best name recall. We wanted to leverage on that. The brand means it is our national team, the best of the best, the cream of the crop."
All in all, with new dynamic logos, enthusiastic and talented appointees, and the full backing of the leaders in the sport of basketball, and of course the support of an entire nation, the SBP and its pillars should be well on their way towards the basketball promised land.