THE carousel and movements remain a constant in the Philippine Basketball Association at the moment, and this time, it was TNT KaTropa’s turn to make a move.
The Tropang Texters are reportedly set to appoint longtime assistant coach Nash Racela as their new head coach in lieu of Jong Uichico.
Despite an already talent-loaded line-up, which was further boosted by the arrival of this season’s top two two picks in Moala Tautuaa and Troy Rosario, TNT KaTropa still failed to make a mark this season, only making the semifinals once, this Governors’ Cup, and failing to even make the finals.
Hence, this coaching swap was decided by the management. TNT’s failure to make the finals this third conference despite dominating throughout signaled the need for a change even more.
Uichico will exit after coaching the team for two seasons and producing one championship, the Commissioner’s Cup crown in 2015.
This will be the first time that Racela will take charge as a head coach in the PBA after serving as an assistant coach for most of his career.
He is expected to start taking over the team once his duties with Far Eastern University are finished.
Racela is still currently handling the FEU Tamaraws in the ongoing University Athletic Association of the Philippines season wherein they are looking to repeat as champions.
He led the Tamaraws to their first championship in a decade last year.
This is already the third coaching change in the league in the past month.
TNT’s sister team NLEX lured coach Yeng Guiao from Rain or Shine two weeks ago, forcing the Elasto Painters to re-appoint coach Caloy Garcia as their head tactician.