Gilas Pilipinas begins its coaching camp for the Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers second window. –SBP PHOTO
Gilas Pilipinas goes up in opposition to a new-look New Zealand squad within the Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers this coming Thursday, however nationwide coach Tim Cone is aware of all too properly simply how harmful a crew will be when ranging from scratch.
“I feel that is their first recreation collectively, as a gaggle,” he stated of the Tall Blacks who will now have Judd Flavell, a member of the famed 2002 World Cup roster, as its new head coach.
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“I bear in mind our first recreation once we performed in Hong Kong once we first acquired collectively. There was a variety of pleasure, a variety of vitality and we have been raring to play. So we count on that from them,” he went on.
Cone and his long-haul forged geared towards the following World Cup made their debut final February within the first window of the continental qualifiers and rapidly made an impression.
The Nationals whipped Hong Kong by 30 factors after which crushed Chinese language-Taipei by 53 a number of days later for an early lead in Group B play.
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Since then, the glut of that squad has skilled and performed essential battles collectively, together with the beautiful upset of then-World No. 6 Latvia on the latter’s house turf within the Olympic Qualifying Match final July.
That string of success may set up the Nationals as favorites within the match set at 7:30 p.m. at Mall of Asia Area. However Cone is it from one other angle.
“They’ll know us a little bit bit higher as a result of they’ve seen us within the OQT, and so they’ve seen us in a few of our home windows already,” the seasoned mentor identified. “So, in that regard, they’ll have a little bit little bit of benefit.”
‘Jogging your reminiscence’
“Once more, the coach is model new and he’s introduced, , three or 4 of his gamers alongside in order that they’re going to have continuity,” he stated of New Zealand, which can be going into the conflict with a 2-0 win-loss mark.
“They’ll herald a variety of extra dimension than they’ve prior to now [as] they acquired a few guys who’re 6-foot-11, 7 ft. They [have their] youth crew and now they’re being introduced up. And so, this crew seems to be much more, if I could say, a bit youthful however extra athletic.”
A win over the Tall Blacks will give the Philippine solo lead of Group B, and can lastly finish a dropping skid to the Kiwis. Gilas has misplaced all of its 4 earlier conferences to New Zealand on the Fiba stage.
Gilas has been holding camp at Encourage Sports activities Academy in Calamba the place they hope to shake off some cobwebs.
“The primary apply is all the time the toughest one as a result of we’re making an attempt to get all people once more and we’re making an attempt to get them to rehash the offense. There’s all the time a little bit little bit of confusion making an attempt to type of bear in mind (issues), jogging your reminiscence a little bit bit,” he stated on the sidelines of the primary day of coaching.
