Guiao taps Uichico as scout for Team Pilipinas

MANILA, Philippines – Yeng Guiao and Jong Uichico, two of the Philippine Basketball Association’s most successful coaches, together in one team?

For flag and country, this is possible. It would be better if Jong will join us and scout for the team because he has been around the international scene for seven years now. He still has the feel of our opponents, which would definitely help us a lot. – Yeng Guiao, Team Pilipinas coach

The two former La Salle Greenhills teammates will rekindle their old partnership starting with the Jones Cup tournament in Taipei, where Uichico will work as scout for the Powerade-Team Pilipinas men’s basketball team handled by Guiao.

Guiao himself had requested PBA commissioner Sonny Barrios to get the services of the Ginebra mentor in the invitational tournament in Taipei.

“It would be better if Jong will join us in the Jones Cup tournament and scout for the team because he has been around the international scene for seven years now," said Guiao. “In short, he still has the feel of our opponents, which would definitely help us a lot."

Uichico, who was coach of the RP team to the Busan Asian Games in 2002 and was part of the coaching staff of coach Chot Reyes in the FIBA Asia meet in 2007, gladly accepted Guiao’s invitation.

“I was tasked to become a scout for the team and we will leave on July 19," Uichico told GMANEWS.TV via SMS.

The Powerade-RP squad will compete against some of the best teams in the region in the Jones Cup, including long-time Asian rivals Japan and South Korea, the Philippines’ groupmates in next month’s FIBA Asia Men’s Basketball Championship in China.

The country’s national teams have had successful campaigns in past Jones Cup tournaments.

The Filipinos, composed of Northern Consolidated stalwarts Samboy Lim, Allan Caidic, Hector Calma, naturalized players Dennis Still and Jeff Moore and import Chip Engelland, ruled the 1985 edition at the expense of a formidable United States selection.

The Centennial squad of coach Tim Cone, led by Johnny Abarrientos, duplicated the feat 13 years later in 1998.

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