Gilas Pilipinas’ Justin Brownlee. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.web
After taking a backseat to an NBA standout within the Fiba (Worldwide Basketball Federation) World Cup, Justin Brownlee is raring to be on the forefront of Gilas Pilipinas as soon as once more.
“I’m simply excited to be on this place—to have the ability to signify the nation once more, on the worldwide stage,” the indefatigable and beloved Barangay Ginebra standout advised the Inquirer throughout one of many nationwide staff’s latest practices at PhilSports Enviornment in Pasig Metropolis.
“The Asian Video games is developing, so I’m readying to placed on that jersey and signify the nation one of the best ways I can: On the basketball court docket, and on the market in China,” he added.
Brownlee, an American who was granted Filipino citizenship earlier this 12 months, is about to guide a squad suffering from Philippine Basketball Affiliation stars within the nineteenth Asian Video games that will get entering into Hangzhou, China, subsequent week.
Prepared when wanted
The Philippines might be opening its bid in opposition to Bahrain on Sept. 26, and Brownlee will not be permitting something to get in the way in which of a convincing Gilas return.
“I’m nonetheless within the strategy of getting again to one hundred percent from that,” he stated of the left foot process to clear his ankle of bone spurs.
“It was a month in the past, and it takes time to get again, proper? However by all that, I’m simply able to signify the nation—and if not 100, then near it, by the point the Asian Video games come,” he added.
Brownlee can have a week-long window to expedite that course of, which started on Saturday—when the nationwide staff returned to the Encourage Sports activities Academy in Calamba the place it is going to be practising nonstop till Sept. 21 as this system seems to be to bounce again from a failed bid within the latest World Cup.
Cone, who is asking the pictures for Gilas as soon as once more on an interim foundation, stated that the brief camp in Laguna will concentrate on the basics—a step he feels supplies extra worth than taking part in friendlies.
“To me, the practices are extra essential than the friendlies as a result of we study extra by practices than the video games,” he stated. “We’re going to be foundational. We’re going to be basic and get to no matter degree we are able to get to by doing it the fitting method.”
Make no mistake, Cone additionally sees the significance of taking part in tuneup matches. Barring any adjustments, Gilas is actually taking part in the Meralco Bolts someday throughout its brief keep at Encourage. The Nationals are additionally scheduled to host Changwon LG Sakers in a free-to-see contest at PhilSports on Sept. 22, simply earlier than they depart for China.
Regardless of the shrinking window for preparations, Cone—similar to his outdated hand Brownlee—is taking issues simple.
“We’re attempting to determine issues out. We’re attempting to determine one another out. We’re attempting to determine our system out. That’s only a every day, ongoing factor that we’re doing every single day,” he stated.
“We simply really feel that if we keep centered there, keep centered on our course of, then the thought of profitable the gold is gonna care for itself.”
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