By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
One of the most explosive players the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) has ever seen just began his coaching career overseas.
KG Canaleta, a former PBA star, was recently named as a part of the coaching staff of the Taichung Suns in Taiwan’s professional hoops league.
Canaleta rendered his services for Taichung as a player a year ago and immediately began his transition to a mentor after all of the PBA teams failed to give him a new contract.
“Although we already have excellent Asian Import in Jordan Heading, Niño KG Canaleta will also play an important role. We will be depending on the combinations and different rotations as the games go by,” said Taichung’s GM David Wan previously.
Canaleta left the PBA with career averages of 9.6 points per game, 3.8 rebounds per game, .8 assists per game, .4 blocks per game in 21.6 minutes of action.
The former PBA Slam Dunk king will be coaching alongside Chris Gavina, Rain or Shine Elastopainters’ chief tactician before Yeng Guiao’s reunion with the team.
Gavina got the prestigious post two months ago and was heavily touted by Taichung to help them in their quest for another championship in Taiwan.
He first got his head coaching job in the PBA after signing with KIA Mahindra and also rendered his services to Valenzuela and Bacoor in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL).
The defensive-oriented chief orchestrator was then signed by the Elastopainters as an assistant coach last 2018 before getting promoted to head coach the year after.
Gavina helped Rain or Shine qualify for the PBA playoffs once under his mentorship and clinched an overall regular season record of 13 wins and 22 losses.
Jordan Heading, a former member of the Gilas Pilipinas men’s national basketball team, also played for Taichung last season before leaving for Japan.
