WITH little to no rest, Tim Cone plunges into action for another noble goal as Gilas Pilipinas flies to South Korea to rev up its preparations for an Asian Games (Asiad) title defense later this month.
Mr. Cone, with an entirely different crew from the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers team that just swept Window 4 last weekend, will play at least two friendly games against Korean Basketball League teams to intensify its buildup before flying straight to Aichi and Nagoya, Japan for the men’s basketball tourney starting on Sept. 10.
Only RJ Abarrientos of Barangay Ginebra, Justin Arana and Justine Baltazar of Converge from the FIBA team are joining the Asian Games team with Justin Brownlee being reserved a spot — if he wants it and is healthy enough to come back.
“We will try to bring the whole pool,” said Mr. Cone, who for the first time will have a closer look on the 30-man pool assembled by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas for a tall order of winning a second straight Asiad gold. “It’s strictly going to be an all-PBA team, along with, hopefully, Justin (Brownlee).”
Mr. Cone focused on the card at hand last week, pouring all his attention to the FIBA team that in turn got the job done after a rousing home stand with big wins against Jordan, 82-81, and Iran, to shore up their World Cup bid to 4-4 in Group E.
He was joined by Sean Chambers and LA Tenorio in preparing the squad, made up of his core since 2023 from the PBA, Japan B.League and the Korean Basketball League, which however, will not have a break in non-FIBA sanctioned Asiad.
That led to Mr. Cone designating other Gilas staff in Richard del Rosario, Jong Uichico and Josh Reyes to lead the training camp since last week of the Asian Games team, which will be up against Bahrain, Kazakhstan and rival China in Group C.
And they have been on a tear after also giving the FIBA team a run for their own money during a joint training last week, exciting Mr. Cone as he rejoins the squad in time for their Korean camp.
“They’re a lot of fun to watch. The countrymen are gonna have a lot of fun watching that team,” said Mr. Cone on the squad led by Robert Bolick of NLEX, Sedrick Barefield of Blackwater, Adrian Nocum of Rain or Shine and Zavier Lucero of Magnolia.
“They’ve been practicing through this whole window action with (Richard, Jong and Josh). They’ve been doing two teams a day so that allowed me to stay locked in on the window.”
While Mr. Cone is set to handle a new team on the heels of June Mar Fajardo’s national team retirement, he’s hoping to have one constant from the magical team that ended a 61-year Asiad gold medal drought for the Philippines in the 2023 Hangzhou Games.
“We’ve opened up a spot for Justin. We’ll see if he ends up showing up,” added Mr. Cone on his most trusted lieutenant and long-time reinforcement, who sat out Gilas’ home games against Jordan and Iran due to still nagging leg and hamstring injuries.
“We’re hoping there’s a chance for Mr. Brownlee. We heard that Justin might come in. It’s not confirmed. But he’s intending to come, that we know of.”
Mr. Brownlee, who nursed said injuries on the road last window against New Zealand and has not returned to the country since that forced Gilas to go all-Filipino against Jordan and Iran in FIBA games, remained the No. 1 choice for Gilas due to the rigid process on Bennie Boatwright’s naturalization.
Mr. Boatwright’s naturalization has been approved by the Congress since last June but Mr. Cone said his Philippine passport will not make in time for the Asian Games next week.
As per passport-only rules of Asiad, both Messrs. Brownlee and Boatwright could have been eligible to reinforce the Nationals, like Mr. Bronwlee and Ange Kouame did in China that proved lethal in the team’s gold medal run. — John Bryan Ulanday