In 1998, the Basketball Coaches Association of the Philippines (BCAP) under Chito Narvasa petitioned to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) that Ron Jacobs had no right to coach a PBA team, being a foreigner. The DOLE agreed and Jacobs was made a consultant and gave the coaching job to his protege Jong Uichico. A few weeks after, Jacobs was being contemplated upon by then PBA Commissioner Jun Bernardino to handle the 1998 Centennial team that was tasked to win the gold at the 1998 Asian Games in Thailand. Again, the BCAP stepped in and protested Jacobs' pending appointment. Bernardino instead appointed Alaska coach Tim Cone to handle the reins of the national team, who copped a bronze medal.