With the task of incorporating five new players into his system and a limited timeframe to do so, Tim Cone’s role as the head coach of Gilas Pilipinas for the 19th Asian Games has become extremely challenging. Despite the circumstances, Cone remains confident and unwavering in his approach. “Our goal is still to win a gold medal,” he said in an interview with reporters. “We’re not settling for silver or bronze, we’re going for gold.”
The availability of Calvin Abueva, Jason Perkins, Terrence Romeo, and Mo Tautuaa is uncertain as they are not included in the latest list provided by the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee. In their place, CJ Perez, Chris Ross, Arvin Tolentino, and Kevin Alas have been called up as backup options. Marcio Lassiter has also joined the team to replace Roger Pogoy, who withdrew due to a medical condition. A resolution regarding the eligibility of the players is expected to be announced soon.
Cone is relieved that a backup plan has been implemented, allowing him to focus on the important aspects of preparation. “Our focus is on our process – what we did in practice and what we will do in the next one,” he explained. “Personally, I need to address the challenges one by one. Dealing with the lineup is one of them, and we want to be transparent with the public about what’s going on.”
He anticipates that practices may be disjointed initially, given the addition of new players. However, Cone remains optimistic because the newcomers are not complete strangers to him. Lassiter, Ross, Tolentino, and Perez were part of the gold-medal-winning Gilas squad in the Southeast Asian Games last summer. Alas, being the son of a coach, has a good understanding of the game, which will help him quickly grasp the team’s strategies and tactics.
“We might face some difficulties on the offensive end, but defensively, we should be fine,” Cone commented. “We’ll work on catching up the new guys as much as we can. It may not happen before our game against Korea, but that’s our goal – to get there.”
Overall, Cone’s determination and confidence shine through, despite the challenges that lie ahead for Gilas Pilipinas in the Asian Games.
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