Cone’s four-year program for Gilas-Pilipinas

Following his formal appointment as head coach of Gilas-Pilipinas, Tim Cone has laid down a four-year long term program that would have a continuity in preparing the national team meet the level of competitiveness in the coming international event.

Cone, regarded as Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) winningest coach and minutes before he was named as “Coach of the Year” during the Philippine Sportswriter Association (PSA) last January 29, revealed the program that’ would prepare the country’s national team for a better showing in the various international competitions and continuity in as far as recruitment and training of players is concerned.

The nationals will have its preparation in the first week of February eyeing for a slot in the FIBA Asia Cup scheduled in Qatar and will book a qualifying seat in this year’s 2024 Paris Olympic Games. The first qualifying tournament is scheduled in Latvia from July 2 to 7.

As part of his program, Cone has named and handpicked a12-man pool that would comprise the main core, thus doing away of calling and holding a tryout, which is the usual practice in the past.

Cone’s 12-man lineup is made of seven PBA standouts and holdover in the Asian Games held Houzhou, China led by Scottie Thompson, Calvin Oftana, Chris Newsome, C.J Perez, Jamie Malonzo and June Mar Fajardo, Japanese B-Leaguers Dwight Ramos, A.J Edu, Karl Tamayo and Kai Soto. UAAP standout Kevin Quimbao, who is fresh from an international stint during the Dubai International Basketball Championship recently.

This will be Cone’s fourth coaching duty for Gilas-Pilipinas. He was at the helm of the star-studded Centennial Team that won the bronze in 1998 during the Bangkok Asian Games. He also mentored the national team that captured the gold medal in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.I

“I’m looking forward to taking on the role of national team head coach again”, said Cone.

Asian Games hero Justine Brownlee, will be team’s naturalized player, pending sanctions from Federation of International Basketball Association(FIBA) and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).

Brownlee, after leading Gilas-Pilipinas in ending the 61-year gold medal drought in the Asian Games’ basketball, is expected to join the national squad in February.