Assistant coaches take over Bolts, Tropang Texters

The Smart-PLDT Group is convinced they have able staff that will man
the fort while Talk n Text head coach Chot Reyes and Meralco chief
tactician Ryan Gregorio are with Smart Gilas-Pilipinas campaigning in
the Fiba Asia championship in Wuhan, China.

Reyes and Gregorio will be away for two weeks, and would be reunited
with their PBA teams with only a week to go before the opening of the
PBA Season 37 on Oct. 2 at the Araneta Coliseum.

Top bosses of the Pangilinan teams, however, insisted everything would
be well covered in the absence of Reyes and Gregorio.

“Their assistant coaches will be there to take over,” said Smart-PLDT
top executive Ricky Vargas referring to Nash Racela, Josh Reyes and
Jamike Jarin at Talk n Text and Ronnie Magsanoc, Boyet Fernandez,
Patrick Fran and Xavier Nunag at Meralco.

The Bolts have long been in training since they’re among the first
teams to take an early vacation last season.

The Tropang Texters, the team that had the longest 2010-2011 season,
re-open camp tomorrow when coach Reyes is already in Wuhan.
“We practiced four hours a day since I’ll be away for a long period of
time. We worked double time to establish the system we want to
implement,” said Gregorio.

“Ilang araw na lang tournament na pagbalik ko but, of course, we have
to prioritize the country,” Gregorio added.

Gregorio said Magsanoc would be the one in command in his absence.

Reyes should also not have a problem, leaving the rein at Talk n Text
to Racela, a longtime deputy.(pr)