THE brain thrust should be formidable, too.
On the lookout for an added boost to his coaching staff, national coach Tim Cone got what he wished for in PBA great and former import Sean Chambers.
“He knows our system, he knows the triangle, so he’s just the perfect guy,” Cone said.
“If you have been around him, he’s one of the most valuable people around you,” he added.
Nicknamed “Mr. 100 percent,” Chambers, 59, was tapped by Cone and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas to serve as one of the Gilas Pilipinas deputies in its preparations for the FIBA Olympic qualifying tournament set July 2 to 7 in Latvia.
The Philippine five arrived early last Wednesday in Turkey to play a pair of tune-up matches with the host team and Poland.
With newly-appointed NLEX tactician Jong Uichico as his only assistant in the absence of Josh Reyes and LA Tenorio, Cone reached out to Chambers, who played his entire pro league stint with the defunct Alaska ballclub under Cone.
“We just looked around and said we’re short,” Cone said. “Sean came at the last minute. He stepped in. He played with me for 13 years.
“He knows me personally as well as anybody I’ve ever met.”
Gilas deputy LA Tenorio has prior commitments with Ginebra, while Josh Reyes is with the Gilas Under-17 squad for the FIBA Under-17 World Cup in Istanbul.
Chambers powered the Aces to six titles as their resident reinforcement capped by a rare triple crown in 1996–the same year he bagged the best import award.
His jersey No. 20 was retired by Alaska in 2001 when he called it a career.
A native of Los Angeles, California, Chambers is best known for his work ethic–one of the reasons why Far Eastern University named him its new coach for the 87th UAAP basketball tournament.
