Yeng Guiao said he is taking full responsibility for the outcome of the campaign of Gilas Pilipinas FIBA World Basketball 2019 and has submitted his resignation.
“I knew what conditions existed, what the limitations were, and still, I accepted the challenge. I hold myself responsible for the consequences,” said Guiao in his letter to top officials of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.
Guiao quit after Team Pilipinas finished winless after five games at the end of the Classification 17-32 Phase of the World Cup in China.
He handed his letter of resignation to officials, led by SBP chairman emeritus Manny V. Pangilinan, president Al Panlilio, and vice-chairman Ricky Vargas following a meeting on Tuesday evening.
The 60-year-old Guiao feels that for the national squad to be able to compete against the world’s best team’s, Gilas needs better players and more exposure.
“I am sorry we could not deliver a better performance. Our players gave their best against talented, bigger, stronger, and better-prepared athletes from the best teams in the world. I truly appreciate their efforts and sacrificesand that of their families. Our times together will never be erased from my memory,” wrote Guiao.
In submitting his resignation, Guiao felt that this will give the SBP “a free hand in building and developing a program towards achieving our objective of competing with the best of the best.”
Guiao earlier said that for Gilas to become a very competitive squad in the future, Gilas will need to have players who can match up better with bigger opposing cagers from other continents.
And these selected players may need to have more exposure to world-level basketball than they are currently having.
He has been around since Chot Reyes resigned, handling the Gilas team that saw action in the 2018 Asian Games.
Guiao is expected to return to his coaching duties with the NLEX Road Warriors in the PBA.