Tim Cone feels for fellow Gilas Pilipinas coach Norman Black, who is tasked to lead a makeshift squad to the 33rd Southeast Asian Games gold medal in Bangkok.

“It’s gonna be a tough road for them, just like us, in the Asian Games (in 2023 in Hangzhou), you know. We couldn’t get the players that we wanted; it was really magulo all the way to the last two or three days before we left,” said Cone, whose Gilas squad won the gold medal.

“I think that just motivated us, and we felt we were underdogs, so we had that underdog mentality. That took us all the way to the gold medal. I think there’s a real good chance this could happen with Norman and his group.”

Gilas appeared poised to run away with the SEA Games gold but a last-minute rule change imposed by the Thai organizers left Black scrambling for replacements.

Several key players on Black’s original list, including Justin Brownlee, were scratched off from the roster owing to eligibility rules.

Black, who coached the 2011 SEA Games team to the gold, is shooting for the country’s 20th top finish in the biennial meet.

Gilas arrived in Thailand on Thursday and will start their campaign on Sunday against Malaysia at 12:30 p.m. at the Nimibutr Stadium in Bangkok.

“I wish Norman well, and I hope that he does really well over there. I feel a little guilty that I’m not coaching it because I am the Gilas coach, but I’m also happy to hand it off to Norman given this opportunity,” Cone said.

The Philippines will be fielding a ragtag squad of College of Saint Benilde’s Allen Liwag, NLEX’s Robert Bolick, Titan Ultra’s Von Pessumal, Blackwater’s Dalph Panopio, free agent Justin Chua, Thirdy Ravena, Matthew Wright, Bobby Ray Parks Jr., Jamie Malonzo, Abu Tratter, Far Eastern University’s Veejay Pre, and Adamson University’s Cedrick Manzano in this year’s SEA Games.

While Cone might not be able to call the shots for Gilas like he did back in 2019 in Manila, the 68-year-old Black is no slouch as he is regarded as one of the best coaches in the Philippines. I.S.

Black was one of the few alongside Cone and Virgilio “Baby” Dalupan to achieve a rare Grand Slam when he was the head coach for San Miguel Beer in 1989.

He also led Ateneo de Manila University to a rare five-peat in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines from 2011 to 2015.

As a consultant, Black helped San Beda University clinch its 23rd National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball crown in 2023.