The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) has officially announced the return of Alfrancis Chua as the Program Director and Team Manager for both the Gilas Pilipinas Youth and Men’s teams.

“I am very happy that Alfrancis is back with Gilas. I work well with him, and our only objective is to elevate Philippine basketball,” said SBP President Al Panlilio. He also expressed gratitude to San Miguel Corporation (SMC) Chairman and CEO Ramon Ang for supporting this decision.

Chua adds this role to an already impressive portfolio, which includes serving as SMC Sports Director, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Governor, and Vice Chairman of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Since taking over SMC’s basketball operations in 2015, Chua has been pivotal in guiding Ginebra, San Miguel Beer, and Magnolia to a combined 15 PBA championships. His contributions earned him the prestigious PBA Executive of the Year Award in 2018, 2021, and 2024.

As Team Manager during the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, Chua played a crucial role in helping the Philippines secure its first basketball gold medal in 60 years. SBP is optimistic that his expertise and leadership will drive similar success in the future.

Gilas Pilipinas Men head coach Tim Cone lauded Chua’s motivational skills and their productive partnership during the Asian Games campaign. “It was great having him on the bench motivating the players. He’s such a great motivator. That’s one of the things we hope to enhance with his presence,” said Cone.

Chua is set to take immediate action in his new role, starting with the second window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers. Gilas Pilipinas will face New Zealand on November 21 and Hong Kong on November 24.

“I’m happy I’ll be able to help Gilas in this capacity,” shared Chua. “I thank boss RSA for giving me his blessing and look forward to working with coach Tim and LA (Tenorio).”

With Chua’s return, hopes are high for Gilas Pilipinas as they aim to solidify their standing in the international basketball arena.