Sean Chambers, winner of six PBA titles and a Grand Slam at Alaska with Time Cone, is now part of the Gilas Pilipinas team gunning for a Paris 2024 berth.
Gilas Pilipinas coach Tim Cone was a little shorthanded as far as coaching staff was concerned before jumpstarting the buildup for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Latvia.
With LA Tenorio attending to other duties and Josh Reyes focusing on the Gilas Youth team’s FIBA World Cup stint, Cone was left with only Richard del Rosario and Jong Uichico as his deputies. Del Rosario, though, is also acting as team manager.
That’s why he felt the need to add another to his staff, someone who is really familiar with his coaching style and system.
Sean Chambers fit the billing.
“We’re looking around and saying, ‘Hey, we’re short.’ We’re basically Jong and Richard. And Richard is really the team manager pa,” Cone said after Gilas' 74-64 win over the Taiwan Mustangs in a send-off friendly match Monday, June 24.
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Cone said Chambers, who won six PBA titles, including the 1996 Grand Slam, as his reinforcement at Alaska, was just tailor-fit for the job.
“Sean steps in. He played for me for 13 years. He knows me personally as well as anybody I've ever met,” he said of the amiable 59-year-old, who is currently the FEU Tamaraws head coach in the UAAP.
“He knows our system. He knows the triangle. He’s just the perfect guy. He’s like one of the most wonderful people to have around you. So he’s a perfect fit.”
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Cone and Gilas had to convince Chambers and FEU first, though.
“We begged him. And we begged FEU. Thank goodness he said yes. And most importantly, FEU said yes,” he said with a smile.
Now Chambers is part of Cone's team gunning for a Paris 2024 berth in Latvia from July 2 to 7. Just in time and just like old times.
(With reports from Gillian Trinidad/One Sports Digital)