Jong Uichico - SBP must refine Gilas Program

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas has a good program in place regarding the national team. But it could be improved.

This was the sentiment aired by former RP coach Jong Uichico, who said the core of the current Smart Gilas national pool should be kept together for a truly long-rangeprogram that would enable the Nationals to be at least at par with their regional neighbors.

Uichico said a truly competitive squad would only materialize if its members have played together for years without any distractions.

"Maybe in another two years," said the current Ginebra mentor who called the shots for the RP five that wound up fourth in the 2002 Busan Asian Games. "Basta i-retain kung sino-sino talaga ang kailangan sa bawa’t posisyon and then use them as core of the team."

One of the key factors, he added, is to have players whose main focus is donning the national colors.

"Kailangan ang priority nila, full-time, national team. Wala ng paglalaruang iba," said Uichico, who has won eight times as a coach in the pro league.

Several players of the Gilas developmental pool still go to school, like Greg Slaughter, JR Cawaling, Aldrich Ramos and Magi Simon and Uichico said this could present some problems.

"Parang trabaho lang iyan. Paano mo magagawa ang trabaho mo kung iba-iba ang iniisip mo?" he pointed out. "At twice a day ka pang nag-pa-practice, one for your school and another for the national team. Baka masunog ka niyan. Tapos, sinabi pa ng school mo na di ka p’wedeng sumama. Paano na iyon?"

Already, the national teams of Iran, China and Korea have the edge over the RP five in terms of togetherness. Gilas was formed only last year 2009.

"Ilang taong magkakasama ‘yung Iranian team na nanalo sa FIBA-Asia (in Tianjin, China, last year)?" Uichico posed. "Mga five years siguro dahil sila-sila rin ang magkakasama sa youth team nila. Samantalang tayo two years pa lang. Medyo mahihirapan."

One good thing about the SBP program is that Gilas does not have to play exclusively abroad. "Ang mga iba kung saan-saan naglalaro sa labas ng bansa nila. We don’t have that kind of a problem here," Uichico said.

Currently, the SBP is finding it hard to fill up certain positions and has requested the PBA to lend some of the league’s players to Gilas for the Guangzhou Asiad set Nov. 12 to 27.

Uichico is all for lending PBA players, but quickly added that is a temporary solution.

"Ultimately, it would have to be young players developed over time and tested with fire who should be representing our country and the SBP should refine its currentprogram," he said.