Gilas to tighten defensive screws
‘We didn’t play as well as we wanted so we wanted to remember that and keep it on our minds as we move forward here.’
‘We didn’t play as well as we wanted so we wanted to remember that and keep it on our minds as we move forward here.’
Gilas Pilipinas will be working hard on defense when they compete in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from 5 to 17 August.
Gilas coach Tim Cone admitted that their defensive intensity slowed down, prompting them to suffer an 84-91 loss to Chinese Taipei and a 70-87 setback to New Zealand in the Asia Cup Qualifiers last February.
With that, they will work hard on their defensive scheme to make sure that they will stand a fighting chance against the best teams in the prestigious continental event.
“We definitely looked at the video. We got caught by surprise, I think on our last trip out,” said Cone, who already kicked off their FIBA Asia Cup preparation last Monday at The Upper Deck gym in Pasig City.
“We didn’t play as well as we wanted so we wanted to remember that and keep it on our minds as we move forward here. So, we’re going to make some noise in the Asia Cup and it’s going to be because of our defense.”
But employing a suffocating defense will be easier said than done.
Aside from being in the same group as the hot-shooting Taiwanese and Kiwis at Group D, their main man in the middle — Kai Sotto — will be out after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury last January.
With the 7-foot-3 Sotto not around, the Filipinos lost back-to-back matches after previously winning their first four games in the qualifiers.
Cone, however, is trying to solve their manpower woes by including playmaker RJ Abarrientos, big man Troy Rosario and versatile forwards Rhenz Abando and Zav Lucero in the long list that they will submit to the Asia Cup organizers.
The 67-year-old American mentor is hoping that more players will show up for practices despite most of them still playing in the crucial stretch of the Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup.
CJ Perez of San Miguel Beer, Calvin Oftana of TNT, and Scottie Thompson, Japeth Aguilar, Rosario and Jamie Malonzo of Barangay Ginebra were in attendance but didn’t participate in the first practice session.
“Like I said, I don’t even know who’s showing up at this point. We’re grasping at straws — just like we did tonight — in terms of trying to figure out how to get practices in. But if we can get a core of six, seven, maybe eight guys, that would be good enough for now,” Cone said.
