Justin Brownlee-less Gilas Pilipinas sees a tough Asian Games title defense in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan – BusinessWorld Online
GILAS PILIPINAS’ climb back to the summit of the Asian Games (Asiad) in Japan will surely be as steep, strenuous and demanding as the ascent to Mt. Fuji.
Especially with Justin Brownlee unlikely to come on board to anchor the Nationals’ title defense.
“We don’t expect Justin (Brownlee) to join us,” Gilas coach Tim Cone said in a message to The STAR on Monday.
Mr. Brownlee has been out of commission nursing an assortment of injuries since Gilas’ July 26 duel with Australia in the last game of Window 3 of the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers (WCQ) in Perth.
He sat out the succeeding fourth window entirely, forcing the Pinoy dribblers to fend for themselves in the homestand against Jordan and Iran last Aug. 28 and 30.
Mr. Cone’s all-Filipino troops proved up to the task and pulled off a pair of emotional victories.
And now, Mr. Cone’s Team Asiad — featuring mostly non-members of his WCQ core such as Robert Bolick and Adrian Nocum mixed with Gilas main squad backups RJ Abarrientos, Justine Baltazar and Justin Arana — will have to do the same in the Nagoya meet.
Before flying into Japan on Monday, the Asian Games-bound crew faced South Korea’s A-Team in a pair of friendlies in Suwon over the weekend.
That stint yielded disastrous results, 55-81 and 42-69, but Mr. Cone is far from panicking.
“Korea was a tough team, the same team that has played the four FIBA windows. We obviously couldn’t approach their level of execution and knowledge of each other,” he said.
Mr. Cone reiterated his confidence in his charges and expects them to hit optimum form in time for their Asiad opening assignment on Friday against Bahrain.
“These losses (to Korea) weren’t on the players. It was on us as a coaching staff. We haven’t figured out how to best use the skills of our guys… yet,” he said.
“But me and our staff, we’ll be better in helping our players prepare for what’s ahead. No need to panic.” — Olmin Leyba