The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas formally appointed Tim Cone as head coach of the Gilas Pilipinas squad that will shoot for a spot in the Paris Olympics this year.
SBP president Al Panlilio said Cone’s stellar credentials both in the local and international arenas make him a perfect choice for the coveted spot vacated by Chot Reyes, who stepped down following Gilas’ fruitless performance in the FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Despite having a depleted lineup, Cone still led Gilas Pilipinas to a gold medal in the 19th Asian Games, giving the country its first continental title after 62 years.
He also coached the Filipinos to a bronze medal in the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok and a gold medal when they hosted the 30th Southeast Asian Games in 2019.
He was also part of Reyes’ staff when Gilas Pilipinas regained supremacy in the biennial meet in Phnom Penh last year.
Panlilio said he is excited to see what Cone can do now that he is already a full-time Gilas Pilipinas mentor with all the resources and support from the SBP and its stakeholders, especially the PBA.
“Coach Tim accomplished what has not been done in decades with only a few weeks to prepare and multiple of challenges in terms of personnel so we’re excited to see what he can accomplish with a long-term program in place, especially if such program is supported by all basketball stakeholders,” Panlilio said in a statement sent to Daily Tribune.
Aside from Cone, also getting the appointment was Ginebra assistant coach Richard del Rosario as team manager, replacing the retired Butch Antonio.
Cone also selected the 12 players who will be part of the Gilas core in PBA players Scottie Thompson, Chris Newsome, Calvin Oftana, CJ Perez, Jamie Malonzo, and June Mar Fajardo as well as Japanese B. League players Dwight Ramos, AJ Edu Carl Tamayo and Kai Sotto.
University Athletic Association of the Philippines Most Valuable Player Kevin Quiambao will also be part of the pool while Justin Brownlee will serve as naturalized player pending the decision of the International Basketball Federation on his sanction.
Their first order of battle will be the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers in which Gilas will battle Hong Kong on 22 February at the Tsuen Wan Stadium and Chinese Taipei on 25 February at the Philsports Arena.
The Filipinos will also be competing in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament from 2 to 7 July in Latvia in a bid to make a return to the Summer Games since seeing action in Munich in 1972.
They are bracketed in Group A with the host country and Georgia.
SBP executive director Erika Dy said they liked what they heard from Cone during their interview with him a few weeks ago.
“Earlier this month, Coach Tim presented his plans to local leagues from which players will likely be selected from,” Dy said.
“This program will be put to test this year and adjustments will be made as necessary.”
Cone said he is looking forward to handling Gilas Pilipinas anew, this time with longer preparation and more solid support.
The PBA, however, has yet to release its possible arrangement once Cone and the national squad go full blast in their training next month.
“I’m looking forward to taking on the role of national team head coach again,” Cone, a mentor who puts premium on chemistry over talent, said.
“I’ve always firmly believed from back in 1998 when I coached the Centennial Team that you’ve got to go out and get the best players in the country to represent us.”
“We all have different opinions on who the best players are but we’re confident that we picked the best players who will form the best team.”
