Gilas Pilipinas in the course of the Fiba Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers recreation in opposition to Hong Kong at Mall of Asia Enviornment. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.web
With a spot within the Fiba Asia Cup secured, Gilas Pilipinas could have two extra video games to play within the third window of the Qualifiers in February subsequent 12 months forward of the primary match in Saudi Arabia.
These received’t be no-bearing matches for nationwide coach Tim Cone, who’s each video games the identical approach he considered the conflict in opposition to winless Hong Kong at Mall of Asia Enviornment the evening earlier than.
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“The 2 away video games we’re going to have in February are going to be the hardest half. Two robust groups and each on the street. It’s going to be a tricky load for us [but] we’re already trying ahead to the problem,” Cone stated of the return matches in opposition to Chinese language Taipei and New Zealand shortly after the 93-54 blowout of Hong Kong late Sunday evening.
It’d seem like there’s nothing at stake anymore for the Philippines. Gilas formally secured a berth within the Fiba Asia Cup on Monday afternoon, following New Zealand’s 81-64 rout of Chinese language Taipei in Christchurch.
However Cone has long-haul targets. And having performed within the World Cup at dwelling, the Grand Slam coach understands the difficulties of producing success on the street.
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“We had that one alternative within the World Cup in 2023 to play at dwelling. However now, all of them (video games) are going to be on the street. So we’ve acquired to learn to play nicely on the street,” he stated.
“The entire level of those home windows is to get higher—use the expertise that we had enjoying in these home windows and add [them] to the expertise we had within the [Olympic Qualifiers]. Hopefully, that elevates our recreation going into the following window the place now we’re happening the street, and that’s going to be essential for us to study as a result of we’re going to need to learn to play on the street and win on the street.”
Fortuitous
The method won’t solely prime the Nationals for the Asia Cup in Jeddah but additionally for future Fiba tournaments that can have a lot larger stakes. Cone, in spite of everything, constructed the squad on the concept the Philippines would get again to the World Cup, and, hopefully, qualify for the Summer time Olympic Video games that will probably be subsequent held in Los Angeles.
Gilas certainly tried to make good use of such an opportunity when it once more battled a Hong Kong aspect they crushed by 30 factors the final trip. As a substitute of the veterans creating an early gulf to permit the youthful gamers to feast, it was the latter who helped the Nationals draw back for the rout, which fortuitously grew to become an train on gamers’ tendencies.
“All of us come into the group with totally different habits, and so it’s actually attempting to get us all on the identical web page and creating the identical habits so we are able to all play collectively and browse one another collectively,” Cone stated.
Preserving pool intact
Carl Tamayo was the poster boy of that effort, ending with a team-best 16 factors that went with 5 rebounds to come back again from a mediocre outing in opposition to New Zealand. Kevin Quiambao, after sitting out the win over the Tall Blacks, chipped in eight within the scoring effort whereas including 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Mason Amos additionally hit a triple to seal the victory for the Filipinos, who remained spotless by means of 4 video games and two home windows.
“He acquired out, he hit a three-point shot, he went to the basket, he had a post-up, he had an offensive rebound … and that’s what we’re searching for our younger guys,” Cone of Tamayo. “We wish to use their complete recreation, and that’s the case with him, that’s the case with KQ, and even Mason.”
“I received’t cease saying this, they’re the superstars of this group down the street, and so they’re nonetheless studying and feeling their approach,” he added.
“And so this isn’t, as we all the time maintain saying, this isn’t an all-star group. We’re not on the market to showcase our particular person expertise, and we’ve acquired to come back collectively as a group, and typically it takes some onerous teaching, and that’s what I really like about this group. They actually settle for that concept, and it makes it a lot simpler from a training standpoint to deal with this group.”
Cone didn’t shoot down the potential for transforming the expertise pool sooner or later. However that’s one thing that he’s not eager on doing, particularly after having made important strides with this crew this 12 months.
“I’m much less more likely to wish to improve the pool. I believe the extra you improve the pool, the extra instructing you need to do,” he stated. “If you happen to begin increasing the pool, you need to return to zero and begin instructing yet again the whole lot that you just’ve taught.”
“It’s higher if we are able to tighten up … Every thing goes to be assessed by yearend. However hopefully, everyone—all of the higher-ups—are happy with what’s been happening, and so they’re going to wish to maintain a steady program going,” the seasoned mentor stated.
“We may very simply make a tweak right here and there, something that would make us higher transferring ahead.” INQ
