In a significant shift, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) is set to hire a foreign coach for the Gilas Pilipinas Women team. This decision comes as the team prepares for a more competitive future ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
SBP Executive Director Erika Dy announced that the organization is in the final stages of selecting a new head coach to replace Patrick Aquino, who led the team for over a decade. Interviews with candidates from Europe, the United States, Australia, and East Asia are underway.
Dy emphasized that the primary motivation for this change is to elevate the team's level of play. She noted that while Aquino made significant contributions, there is a need to transition to a new approach to achieve greater success.
It’s really an upgrade. We felt that we needed to bring Gilas to another level. It’s been a while already since we’ve gone further than what we’ve achieved in Southeast Asia.
Erika Dy
Aquino enjoyed considerable success with the team, securing three gold medals in the Southeast Asian Games over the past four tournaments. However, he parted ways with the team following their recent participation in the FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament.
The coaching change is timely, as the Philippines is set to host the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup next year, where the top four teams will qualify for the FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournaments.
Looking ahead, Dy highlighted that the team's ultimate goal is to secure a spot in the 2028 Olympics while also laying the groundwork for future tournaments, including the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
Additionally, Dy mentioned that hiring a foreign coach could help eliminate biases in player selection, a challenge sometimes faced with local coaches.
Sometimes it’s a bit difficult when the coach is Filipino because there are factions and the selection of players is questioned. At least, that is no longer a problem when the coach is a foreigner.
Erika Dy
Despite the coaching change, Aquino will remain involved with the SBP, focusing on talent identification at the grassroots level.