It appears that Gilas Pilipinas Head Coach Tim Cone isn’t interested in being part of the National Team in competing at the Southeast Asian Games from December 8 to 20 in Thailand.
And his reasons are actually understandable…
Not a FIBA-sanctioned Tournament
Unlike for the past couple of years, where the best players in the Philippines remain playing ball in the country or are in the collegiate ranks, the Gilas Pilipinas team faces a huge problem as the Southeast Asian Games isn’t a FIBA-sanctioned tournament.
This meant that key players playing overseas, who are Carl Tamayo, AJ Edu, Dwight Ramos, and Kevin Quiambao, may be out of the Gilas team.
The main reason for this is that in their contracts at Japan’s B League, it states that they can only play for their own country and be released by their ball clubs if they are to play in a FIBA-sanctioned tournament.
Examples of these are: FIBA Asia Cup, FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers, FIBA World Cup, FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, Olympic Games, Olympic Qualifiers, and FIBA 3×3 tournaments.
In a report by Reuben Terrado of Spin, here’s what Coach Tim has to say:
“I don’t think there is anything being decided. The only thing I have said to the SBP is that if we can’t bring our roster, then I’m really not interested in coaching it. I’m not going to leave Ginebra to coach it, that’s for sure. I’m not going to leave them in a bind. They are trying to figure something else out.”
PBA Won’t Have a Break?
As of writing this, there are still no reports that the Philippine Basketball Association will take a break for the National Team to prepare in competing at the SEA Games.
In the past years, there’s usually a 1 week to almost 2 weeks of preparation for Coach Tim and his players to familiarize themselves with the triangle offense.
But this time may actually be different.
“[If] the PBA can’t stop for us, then I’m not going to coach, I’m gonna get a group of people I don’t know and try to teach them the triangle in a couple of days, and then try to go out and do well,” said Cone which also in the report from Spin.ph
“If we can’t bring the group and get experience together, there is no reason for me to go and for me to take a team and leave Ginebra which is going to be ongoing. I really don’t have any interest with that,” he added.
A New Team to Represent The Philippines?
Hypothetically speaking, if everything remains as it is and Gilas won’t be defending their gold medal, which they won last 2023 in Cambodia, then the Philippines will be represented by another team, right?
“So it’s just gonna have to be a different approach,” said the Ginebra Head Coach.
“We have some ideas on how will it be and someone who will be willing to coach, and would be a good coach to do it. Right now, the only reason I would want to go to the Southeast Asian Games is to bring the group and get more experience together,” shared the Coach who gave the Philippines’ first gold medal in the Asian Games after 61 years.
One Competition at a Time
Despite all of this shocking news, the multi-titled Head Coach reassured fans that the first goal of Gilas is to compete and win in the FIBA Asia Cup this upcoming August.
“It’s not gonna happen [SEA Games] till December, so it’s not like we have to make the decision right now. It’s not like we are going to train for three months for the Southeast Asian Games. It has time to develop.”
FIBA Asia Cup will be played at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from August 5 to 17.
“I think it’s much ado about nothing at this point because it is still so far away. But obviously, we don’t want to come into the last week and say, ‘Oh, we don’t know who is going to coach.’ We do need to make some plans, but those plans will be settled sooner…..Right now, my total focus is on the Asia Cup,” said Coach Tim Cone.
