Gilas Pilipinas coach Tim Cone concludes another practice session for the national team preparing for the 30th Southeast Asian Games Monday night at the Meralco gym in Quezon City. (Waylon Galvez)
By WAYLON GALVEZ
Three players missed Monday night’s practice session of Gilas Pilipinas and coach Tim Cone understands the difficulty the 15 players are facing in balancing duties for their respective mother teams in the PBA and the national team weeks before the 30th Southeast Asian Games here.
Jayson Castro is out for at least a month because of an ankle injury, while PBA’s reigning five-time MVP June Mar Fajardo did not join scrimmage to rest his swollen knees. Matthew Wright had to be with his girlfriend who is expected to deliver their first baby.
Cone’s message to the players during practice session was to find balance and little sacrifice for flag and country.
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel import Justin Brownlee, left, joins the national team practice session Monday night at the Meralco gym in Quezon City. (Waylon Galvez)
“We’re talking about the fact that as we get closer to the games, we got to demand more from them. We got to demand more effort, more energy,” said Cone, also the mentor of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, after the two-hour training at the Meralco gym in Pasig.
“The only problem is as the games come closer, so do the playoffs of the PBA. So that’s something that we’re going to keep in mind. They’re working towards the playoffs, the games become more important,” Cone said.
“How do we find the balance between that importance and the SEA Games importance? We don’t have any answer for that yet, but they know they’re going to have to sacrifice something and find a way.”
He said he will discuss with the PBA and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) under Al Panlilio about bringing in a couple of players as replacement to Castro, although he refused to reveal their names.
The season-ending Governors’ Cup is ongoing, and six of the 12 PBA teams have players on the national team training pool.
Time is not on Cone’s side as the SEA Games is set Nov. 40 to Dec. 11 with the Philippines hoping to continue its dominance on a sport it has dominated since 1991 after a stunning silver medal finish in 1989.
Former Alaska Aces coach Alex Compton join Gilas Pilipinas mentor Tim Cone during practice session Monday night at the Meralco gym in Quezon City. (Waylon Galvez)
The absence of Castro, likely out of the roster, has forced Cone to seek help from his Ginebra import Justin Brownlee. He said, however, that this might be the first and last for the former Best Import to join the scrimmage.
“I asked Justin to help us out as a favor… so he came in and helped us out,” said Cone.
The record holder for most PBA titles with 21 also invited former Alaska Aces mentor Alex Compton to help out as “fresh eyes” but is not part of the official coaching staff.
“He’s just helping us out like he can,” said Cone. “We think about Alex, he likes to pressure, the things he does. That’s some of the things that we would think about doing during certain games.”
Gilas will play two exhibition matches against San Miguel Alab Pilipinas on Nov. 4 and 11, and against Chinese Taipei on 18.
Source: Manila Bulletin
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