Gilas Pilipinas coach Tim Cone gives instructions during practice.–SBP PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Coach Tim Cone saw Saturday’s exhibition game against Jordan as an acid test for Gilas Pilipinas with the Fiba Asia Cup right around the corner.
Gilas may just be where Cone wants the team to be ahead of Wednesday’s Asia Cup opener against Chinese Taipei after notching a 75-61 win over Jordan.
“Well, I’m just looking for a measurement of where we are in terms of preparedness,” said Cone in an interview with One Sports before the scrimmage against Jordan. “So I think that is really the key, to see how prepared we are.”
Of course, the Asia Cup will be a different beast, but Gilas has been looking prepared in the buildup to the continental meet in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Gilas is 2-0 in tune-up games after defeating the Macau Black Bears, 103-98, in a game, where the Nationals trailed by as many as 21 points, on Monday at Araneta Coliseum before leaving for Saudi Arabia.
Still, the results don’t mean much to Cone as the real games begin on Wednesday. But the experience and lessons learned during the games do.
“I don’t think we’re there yet, but I think these games will go a long way in helping us get where we want to get to.”
Gilas opens its Fiba Asia Cup campaign in Group D against Chinese Taipei on Wednesday at 2 a.m. (Manila time).
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