OLSEN Racela has stepped down from his head coaching post in the Far Eastern University (FEU), the school announced yesterday.
Mr. Racela’s resignation came on the heels of the Tamaraws’ early exit in UAAP Season 85 after recording then the longest Final Four streak at eight straight seasons.
The Tamaraws struggled to a 5-9 finish this season to settle for only seventh place after taking a blow from the departure of ace guard RJ Abarrientos to the Korean Basketball League.
With L-Jay Gonzales and Bryan Sajonia leading the way, FEU actually nearly flipped a flat 0-5 start by uncorking a four-game win streak that nonetheless proved to be still insufficient in foiled last hurrah to the semis.
FEU’s early elimination this season was also the team’s lone Final Four miss under Racela since taking over from his brother Nash, now Adamson mentor, in 2016.
There is still no word on who will be the replacement of Racela, also an assistant coach of Barangay Ginebra in the PBA, with a still full year left before the next UAAP season.
Reports, however, this early surfaced pointing to long-time assistant Denok Miranda as the heir apparent in the Tamaraws’ head coaching role.
A bona fide Tamaraw himself, Mr. Miranda is the top deputy of Mr. Racela in FEU that boasts a stacked staff including Johnny Abarrientos, Mark Isip, Marc Pingris, Vic Pablo, Eric Gonzales, Allan Albano and Jonathan de Guzman. — John Bryan Ulanday