COACH Tim Cone’s four-year program that carries the hopes of an Olympic stint in Los Angeles in 2028 for Gilas Pilipinas gets its baptism of fire.
The Nationals launch their bid against Hong Kong tonight in the first window of the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers at the Tsuen Wan Stadium.
The match is set at 8 p.m., with the Philippine five set to field a slightly new look team under permanent tactician Cone.
For Cone, these will be growing pains for his charges. But that does not mean they will be pushovers.
“We’re going to need every support we can get because we’re still searching for ourselves. We haven’t found ourselves by any means and we don’t expect to at this point,” Cone said. “This is not an All-Star team. This is a team that we’re going to keep together and it’s going to have its issues. We’re not going to win every game and we’re going to lose a few games along the way.
“But as long as we compete, as long as we continue to compete for the top spots in these windows and such, then we’ll be learning along the way as we go,” he added.
Cone tapped the likes of naturalized star Justin Brownlee, former MVP Scottie Thompson, CJ Perez, Jamie Malonzo, Chris Newsome, Calvin Oftana, Dwight Ramos, Carl Tamayo, Kai Sotto, and Kevin Quiambao for the opening round of the qualifiers.
Reigning seven-time MVP June Mar Fajardo is out due to a calf injury he suffered during San Miguel Beer’s six-game title conquest of the season-opening tilt against Magnolia.
Ditto with big man AJ Edu who is recovering from a torn meniscus injury. Without Fajardo and Edu, Gilas veteran Japeth Aguilar was tapped to beef up the squad.
The Filipino cagers will face a familiar opponent, with veteran slotman Duncan Reid expected to banner Hong Kong’s bid.
Reid played in the PBA during his stint with the Bay Area Dragons in last year’s Commissioner’s Cup.
He battled against Aguilar, Thompson, Brownlee, and Malonzo during an epic seven-game series with Ginebra, which won the crown.
Hong Kong will also miss some of its key players in Choi Kwan Tsai and Shiu Wah Leung who showed the way for the squad in the Asia Cup pre-qualifiers.
Gilas tangles with Chinese Taipei on Sunday at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig–a duel where Cone and his wards are expected to have their hands full.
“I’ve been hearing around that we’re such heavy favorites against Taiwan and I’m watching their video and I’m … wow, (that) team is really strong,” he said. “They got good size, they shoot the ball extremely well, they play with pace, and they’ve been together for a long time.
“They played in the Jones Cup against Rain or Shine, they played in the Asian Games and finished fourth, losing to China in the knockout game. So, it’s a team that we’re going to have to reckon with.”
