Petron Blaze is set for a coaching change with former Smart-Gilas Pilipinas Serbian coach Rajko Toroman or ex-pro Olsen Racela possibly taking over the coaching chores starting next conference.
Even after the Boosters finished their campaign in the Governors' Cup, there were already talks that coach Ato Agustin is on his way out with either Toroman or Racela taking the place of the former 1992 PBA Most Valuable Player.
A league source, however, mentioned that Petron is leaning toward Toroman, who handled the national team from September 2009 until September 2011, leading Gilas to a fourth-placed finish in the FIBA-Asia Championship in Wuhan , China .
Though he wasn't renewed by Smart to handle the Gilas II program, Toroman joined the San Miguel Corp. (SMC) as consultant of its four ball clubs, three in the PBA - Ginebra, Petron and B-Meg - and its ABL team San Miguel Beermen.
If plans push through - SMC management is expected to announce Petron's new coach this week as it prepares - just like the other teams - for the PBA Rookie Draft on Sunday where the Boosters own the No. 1 overall pick.
Meantime, Alaska, which owns the No. 2 overall pick on Sunday's PBA Rookie Draft, is looking at four possible options in the hope of further improving its roster for the 38th Season of Asia's first professional league.
The Aces' Luigi Trillo, who was appointed as full-time coach recently by Alaska management, said yesterday that they need to solidify the shooting guard and small forward positions, although it would be hard for them, he said, to pass up on available talent in the draft list.
With Petron Blaze - the team that will select first overall in the first official event of the PBA - already set to take 6-foot-10 center June Mar Fajardo, Alaska is eyeing either one of four players, guards Chris Tiu and Alex Mallari, or forwards Calvin Abueva or Cliff Hodge.
Meantime, former Alaska import Sean Chambers joined the team's first practice session yesterday at the Reyes Gym in Mandaluyong City.
The 6-foot-3 Chambers, who won several championships with Alaska in the 90s including a 'grand slam' title in 1996, arrived Sunday after he agreed to be part of the team's coaching staff although it's not on a full-time basis as he needs to return to Sacramento where he works as a high school principal.
"Right now we're still undecided, although we're looking at four players," said Luigi in a telephone interview yesterday with the Bulletin.
"We're actually in need of a back-up for Cyrus Baguio, but with the talent available, we're also considering of taking the best available player at the second overall pick. "We'll decide on the draft day itself," added Trillo.
It's at the off-guard position that the Aces' need to solidify, hoping to upgrade on the three-man rotation of Baguio , Bon-Bon Custodio and Brandon Cablay. Top point guard LA Tenorio has RJ Jazul as back-up, while the frontline is already loaded with Sonny Thoss, Tony Dela Cruz, Mac Baracael, Gabby Espinas, and Sam Eman.
