Gilas Pilipinas begins its coaching camp for the Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers second window. –SBP PHOTO
Gilas Pilipinas goes up towards a new-look New Zealand squad within the Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers this coming Thursday, however nationwide coach Tim Cone is aware of all too effectively simply how harmful a crew will be when ranging from scratch.
“I believe that is their first sport collectively, as a bunch,” he mentioned of the Tall Blacks who will now have Judd Flavell, a member of the famed 2002 World Cup roster, as its new head coach.
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“I keep in mind our first sport once we performed in Hong Kong once we first bought collectively. There was a variety of pleasure, a variety of vitality and we have been raring to play. So we count on that from them,” he went on.
Cone and his long-haul solid geared towards the following World Cup made their debut final February within the first window of the continental qualifiers and rapidly made an impression.
The Nationals whipped Hong Kong by 30 factors after which crushed Chinese language-Taipei by 53 a couple of days later for an early lead in Group B play.
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Since then, the glut of that squad has skilled and performed essential battles collectively, together with the beautiful upset of then-World No. 6 Latvia on the latter’s dwelling turf within the Olympic Qualifying Event final July.
That string of success would possibly set up the Nationals as favorites within the match set at 7:30 p.m. at Mall of Asia Area. However Cone is taking a look at it from one other angle.
“They’ll know us somewhat bit higher as a result of they’ve seen us within the OQT, and so they’ve seen us in a few of our home windows already,” the seasoned mentor identified. “So, in that regard, they’ll have somewhat little bit of benefit.”
‘Jogging your reminiscence’
“Once more, the coach is model new and he’s introduced, you understand, three or 4 of his gamers alongside in order that they’re going to have continuity,” he mentioned of New Zealand, which can be going into the conflict with a 2-0 win-loss mark.
“They’ll usher in a variety of extra dimension than they’ve previously [as] they bought a few guys who’re 6-foot-11, 7 ft. They [have their] youth crew and now they’re being introduced up. And so, this crew seems much more, if I could say, a bit youthful however extra athletic.”
A win over the Tall Blacks will give the Philippine solo lead of Group B, and can lastly finish a dropping skid to the Kiwis. Gilas has misplaced all of its 4 earlier conferences to New Zealand on the Fiba stage.
Gilas has been holding camp at Encourage Sports activities Academy in Calamba the place they hope to shake off some cobwebs.
“The primary observe is all the time the toughest one as a result of we’re making an attempt to get all people once more and we’re making an attempt to get them to rehash the offense. There’s all the time somewhat little bit of confusion making an attempt to form of keep in mind (issues), jogging your reminiscence somewhat bit,” he mentioned on the sidelines of the primary day of coaching.
