Calls to replace Cebu Sharks coach ‘normal’ according to hoops personalities

Cebu City, Philippines—With the Cebu Sharks-Casino Ethyl Alcohol losing consecutive games in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Lakan Cup, calls for the ouster of head coach Titing Manalili are getting louder on social media as seen on comments on CDN Digital as well as during the livestream of Cebu’s MPBL games.

The Sharks are currently sitting below .500, with a 2-3 win-loss record, having lost close games to the Binan Laguna Heroes and the Valenzuela Classic. 

Read more: Cebu Sharks try to arrest skid in MPBL Lakan Cup

Several prominent basketball minds in Cebu offered their opinions on the matter.

Mike Reyes, the current head coach of the Southwestern Universty (SWU)-Phinma Cobras, said that things like this come part and parcel with being a head coach of such a recognizable team in a reputable league.

“That’s natural sa basketball, especially if you are losing to a team that is weaker,” said Reyes, who has had substantial experience coaching at that level owing to his time with the M. Lhuillier-Cebu Niños.

Three-time Cesafi champion head coach, Gary Cortes, meanwhile, said that he doesn’t mind the recent losses of the Sharks, noting that they have been competitive in every game.

“Their losses were not at all lopsided. It all came down to the breaks of the game,” said the mentor of the University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers.

Decorated head coach and Cebu City Councilor Raul “Yayoy” Alcoseba, whose name is often floated around by Sharks’ fans and supporters as the rightful mentor of the Sharks, said he would be more than happy to help under the right circumstances.

“First of all, it would be unprofessional to say that I want to coach that team. Coach Titing (Manalili) is their coach and he’s a man that the company has trusted all these years,” said Alcoseba, who is currently coaching the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters. “As far as helping the team, I sure would love to do that if they need it.”

But Alcoseba said his job with the city might not also allow that to happen. 

“The team’s base is in Manila and my job entails that I have to be here in Cebu all the time,” Alcoseba added.

Manalili is the former head coach of the University of San Jose-Recoletos. He led the Jaguars to several titles in the Cebu Amateur Athletic Association, the last one during the 1993 season.

Manalili also played for Mama’s Love in the defunct Philippine Amateur Basketball League in the 1980s. /bmjo