Tim Cone must be like Atlas today who is carrying the world on his shoulders.
The 12 warriors he has personally handpicked to form the new Gilas platoon that will battle their Asian counterparts in the Hangzhou, China Asian Games is already beset with problems not of their own making.
Did the SBP not foresee that stalwarts like Kai Sotto, Dwight Ramos and Rhenz Abando were still needed to carry on the Gilas mission such that its officials should have signed them up for the FIBA WC till the Asiad playdate?
Well, I trust Cone for his coaching ability more than his predecessor.
As the winnigest PBA bench strategist, his stint as national mentor of the Centennial Team that copped the bronze during the 1998 AG adds an inspiring complement to his credibility.
It doesn’t look good though that the new Gilas platoon has only less than two weeks to prepare against its counterparts who, I believe, will field the same line ups they used in the recentl;y-concluded FIBA WC.
Meaning, TNT’ import Rondae Hollis Jefferson will again suit up for Jordan as its naturalized player as will the other NBA’ers who donned the national jerseys of Iran, Lebanon, Qatar, etc.
The aboe-cited national teams have been playing together for a time unlike Cone’s Gilas who will be groping to establish chemistry and teamwork in less than two weeks.
Pardon the pun but how many Hail Marys is the Pinoy basketball fan going to recite to make up for Gilas’ (mis) fortune?
Who are Cone’s “Dirty Dozen”, by the way?
Four remnants of the FIBA WC group – Jun Mar Fajardo, Japhet Aguilar, Scottie Thompson and RR Pogoy – make up the core.
Banger Calvin Abueva and flashy spitfire Terrence Romeo, Chris Newsome, Calvin Oftana, Jason Perkins and Mo Tautuaa were the late additions.
Naturalized Ginebra Best Import Justin Brownlee replaces Utah star pointguard Jordan Clarkson and 6’11” UAAP MVP Ange Kouame seems fit to take over Sotto’s role as reinforcement in the middle with Stanley Pruingle as reserve.
Individually, they all have good credentials.
By and large, I think Cone’s ‘muchachos’ are competitive.
How he will whip them into one solid bloc given the short time frame is the puzzle that the Ginebra coach will think about even in his dreams.
When Cone intially thumbed down the coaching designation, i voulnteered either Jong Uichico or Norman Black.
But he was talked into it by SBP led by chairman emeritus MVP, eventually making a 180-degree turn.
Cone’s performance in the quadrennial Asiad will be inevitably compared to Chot’s slate in the 2023 Manila FIBA WC. (Email feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com). GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!
