After returning home triumphant when he led a group of US-based young Filipino cagers in ruling this year’s NBTC National Finals — the Fil-Am Nation — Chris Gavina will try to bring his winning ways on his redemption tour to Taiwan when he handles the Taiwan Mustangs in this new basketball event called ‘The Asian Tournament.’
Joining Gavina are two familiar faces who played in the Philippine Basketball Association, multi-titled guard Alex Cabagnot and Rashawn McCarthy.
Both Cabagnot and McCarthy used to be teammates at San Miguel, but this will be the first time that Gavina will be handling both players in one team.
“This will be my first time handling both players,” wrote Gavina in an online interview with PinoyStep.com.
Cabagnot was a part of the dreaded Death Five of San Miguel, which created a dynasty in the PBA a few years ago.
As a member of San Miguel’s franchise, he won nine championships, eight of them while playing alongside seven-time Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo, former MVP Arwind Santos, Chris Ross and Marcio Lassiter.
But the chance of coaching Cabagnot was also an opportunity to repay the veteran star’s trust in allowing Gavina to handle the Fil-Am Nation in the just concluded NBTC tourney.
“It was Alex Cabagnot who asked me to coach Fil-Am Nation and I cannot say no to him,” added Gavina.
McCarthy, on the other hand, will be making his return to active competition since he was released by his last PBA team, Blackwater, late last year.
This will also be the second time that Gavina will handle a Taiwan-based franchise.
In the 2022-2023 season of the T1 League, Gavina coached the Taichung Suns and coached the team before it folded.
Gavina considers this new gig as some sort of a redemption tour.
“I guess they liked something I did up there. Management knows how I have a big chip on my shoulder and feels like I have unfinished business and an obligation to push this team further than my previous team last year,” added Gavina.
“I feel honored again to be considered for this position and extremely excited to represent Taiwan for the Asian tournament.”
After Cabagnot and McCarthy, Gavina revealed that they are still looking to bring in a young Filipino player to complete their roster.
Photos: Smart-NBTC/Asian Tournament Facebook
