UICHICO LEAVES GINEBRA TO JOIN PHL 5

UICHICO LEAVES GINEBRA TO JOIN PHL 5
Published on January 11, 2012



Eight-time PBA champion coach Jong Uichico has left the SMC Group to join the Smart Gilas Pilipinas.

“With a heavy heart, we are sending coach Jong Uichico to the Philippine men’s basketball team because we feel that the national team is in need of someone like him to improve its performance in international tournaments,” said Ginebra San Miguel Inc. president Bernie Marquez.

“It is the national interest at stake here and we believe that the Philippines will be very fortunate to get the services of a coach with the intelligence and experience of Jong,” Marquez added.

Uichico shared head coaching post with Siot Tanquingcen at Ginebra before leaving the SMC Group.

Uichico joined Chot Reyes, Ryan Gregorio and Norman Black at Smart Gilas.

B-Meg coach Tim Cone, mentor of the Philippine Centennial team that bagged the bronze medal in the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games, has also been invited.

Serbian mentor Rajko Toroman has been scratched from the list.

Uichico severed his ties with SMC after being with the giant group for over 20 years.

The former national youth and national men’s player first served as assistant coach to Black at San Miguel in 1991.

He later assumed the head coaching position, having his first championship in the 1999 Commissioner’s Cup. He made it back-to-back championships by also winning the succeeding Governors Cup.

He won four more crowns for SMB before being moved over to Barangay Ginebra, the most popular PBA team that he handed two titles.

With eight championships in all, Uichico ranks fourth, behind only Baby Dalupan (15), Tim Cone (12) and Norman Black (10), in the list of coaches with the most number of titles. (SB)

Source: pba.ph