FIVE years after, Chot Reyes gets another shot being at the helm of the national men’s basketball team.

On Sunday, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) officially confirmed what had been reported as early as five months ago when it named Reyes as head coach of the soon-to-be formed Smart Gilas 2 tasked of steering the country’s bid to earn a berth in the 2014 FIBA World Basketball Championship in Spain.

No less than SBP president Manny V. Pangilinan announced the appointment of Reyes, who also handles the Talk ‘N Text squad in the PBA and once handled the men’s national team when it campaigned in the 2007 FIBA-Asia Championship For Men that served as the qualifier to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

“Here we go again,” said Reyes. “Let’s hope we get a better result than my first time.”

“While we are extremely happy with Chot’s performance with our TNT team these past years, our duty to flag and country dictates that we engage the right person for this important national position,” said Pangilinan in a statement. 

“After having been Gilas’ assistant coach for the past two years, and with a sterling track record as coach, I believe Chot deserves this appointment.” Reyes, 48, and named Coach of the Year by the PBA Press Corps five times, served as chief assistant of Serbian coach Rajko Toroman when Smart Gilas-Pilipinas reached the semifinals of last year’s FIBA-Asia Men’s qualifying tournament to the London Olympics.

But as head coach of the all-pro team that saw action in the FIBA-Asia five years ago, the nationals failed to make the knockout phase of the meet, and eventually finished at ninth place.

Pangilinan however, clarified that Reyes will continue his role as coach of the  Tropang Texters until the 2011-12 season of the pro league.

“Thereafter, Chot will concentrate full time on preparing Gilas for the 2013 FIBA-Asia tournament, which is the qualifying competition for the FIBA World Championships to be held in Spain in 2014,” added the SBP president.