MANILA, Philippines – Will it be Chot Reyes or Nenad Vucinic who will call the shots for Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA Asia Cup?

Reyes said he will share the role with Vucinic as the two both served as head coach in separate windows of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers.

“It does not really matter,” Reyes said on Sunday, July 3, when asked who would be the Philippines’ coach for the Asia Cup. “It is going to be a combination.”

After Tab Baldwin stepped down, Reyes returned as national team coach in early 2022 and guided Gilas Pilipinas to a 1-1 record in the Asian Qualifiers following a win over India and a loss to New Zealand.

But with Reyes – who also serves as Gilas Pilipinas’ program director – still committed to TNT in the ongoing PBA Philippine Cup, he handed the coaching reins to Vucinic.

Vucinic coached the Philippines in a pair of friendly games against Korea and also garnered a 1-1 record in the Asian Qualifiers as the Filipinos fell prey to the Tall Blacks and clobbered the Indians anew in the third window.

The Serbian-Kiwi mentor will continue to be at the helm in the lead-up to the Asia Cup, which tips off on July 12, with Reyes and the Tropang Giga set to wrap up the elimination round on Sunday, July 10.

Holding a 7-2 record, TNT will tangle with San Miguel and Barangay Ginebra for its last two elimination round assignments.

“Coach Nenad will have to continue training because I’m coaching in the PBA,” Reyes said. “We’ll need coach Nenad to continue training and preparing the team.” – Rappler.com