GUIAO TO RETAIN SEVEN PLAYERS THAT PLAYED IN TOKUSHIMA

National coach Yeng Guiao's last statement in Monday night's council of coaches meeting at EDSA Shangri-La turned out to be the most revealing.

"At least 60 to 70 percent of that RP-Tokushima team will be retained. Mga apat o lima na lang ang idagdag," said Guiao at the close of his first consultation session with former mentors of PBA-backed RP teams.

Present was Robert Jaworski, coach of the first all-pro squad that came in second to China in the Beijing Asian Games in 1990.

Also in attendance were Norman Black, the 1994 RP-Hiroshima mentor, Jong Uichico, who handled the 2002 RP-Busan selection, and Chot Reyes, who formed the 2007 RP-Tokushima Olympic qualifier squad from which Guiao will be picking seven or eight players for the 2009 FIBA-Asia World Championship qualifier in Guangzhou, China.

Based on the length of exposure and the statistical contribution they had in last year's qualifying tournament for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, hugging the inside track should be Kelly Williams of Sta. Lucia Realty, Asi Taulava of Coca-Cola, Mick Pennisi of San Miguel Beer, Jayjay Helterbrand and Mark Caguioa of Ginebra, Jimmy Alapag of Talk 'N Text, Gabe Norwood of Rain or Shine, and Kerby Raymundo of Purefoods.

That would leave four slots – maybe three if 6-10 Japeth Aguilar of Western Kentucky, son of former Northern Consolidated center Peter Aguilar, makes it from the United States – from the Magic 12.

Jockeying for position could be James Yap of Purefoods, Willie Miller and Sonny Thoss of Alaska, Cyrus Baguio of Red Bull, Arwind Santos of Air21, Ryan Reyes of Sta. Lucia, and Jay-R Reyes of Rain or Shine.

"Very fruitful and enlightening," said Guiao of the landmark session. "I I'm asking their help in the formulation of the final lineup, I want them to critic the lineup that I'm going to show them before it is announced to the public."

A 15-man lineup is expected to be released in two weeks time, with practice to commence on Nov. 17 at the Ynares Sports Coliseum in Pasig.

Given the uncertainty of Guiao's initial plan to acquire a 7-foot foreign player for naturalization, no significant step was taken towards that direction during the conference arranged by PBA commissioner Renauld 'Sonny' Barrios.

"There might be some legal obstacle, but I don't think we should stop entertaining that idea," Guiao said. "However, I'm also ready to accept the fact that it might not be in this team."

Given the "one-shot-deal" nature of coaching a national team in the country, Guiao said, gathering former RP coaches for a pow-wow is the best option available.

"The way they can help me actually is for them to tell me what their mistakes were, and I will try not to repeat them," Guiao said.

"I'm going to step into their shoes and they're going to step into mine and we'll consolidate all that knowledge and experience. Certainly I will make mistakes, but hopefully fewer."

With the possibility of the tournament getting brought up one month ahead of the September schedule because of Ramadan, the Muslim religious observance which features sunrise-to-sunset fasting, Guiao said extra efforts will be needed to cover for lost training time.

"My estimate is the the team to play at least 20 games internationally, in Qatar, the Jones Cup, and in Europe, before the tournament," he said.

But if the schedule is adjusted, then we may just have to drop the Europe stint and concentrate on the Jones Cup and Qatar. Another possibility is to invite foreign teams for a mini-tournament here like they did before."