Tim Cone (second from left) provides out tips to (from left) Chris Newsome, Calvin Oftana, Calvin Abueva and Terrence Romeo whereas the ladies’s workforce trains within the background. —MARLO CUETO.
Simply days away from the Asian Video games, Tim Cone can strike off a couple of issues from his fear checklist.
He already has a 12-man roster, and everybody—even the alternate who sits at No. 13—is happy about representing the Philippines within the basketball competitors of the continental Olympics.
“I don’t have to fret about motivation; they’re motivated,” Cone mentioned on Thursday throughout an open exercise collectively held by the lads’s and ladies’s squads at PhilSports Enviornment.
Under the floor, there additionally appears to be no want for Cone to fret in regards to the coal-hot teaching spot vacated by Chot Reyes.
In a coaching day open to the general public, followers simply gravitated to the Barangay Ginebra coach, with a number of taking selfies with the Philippine Basketball Affiliation’s all-time—by a mile—chief in championships amongst tacticians.
“I feel, nothing in opposition to coach Reyes, however it’s … greatest for coach Tim Cone to show that what he can do is totally different in comparison with coach Chot,” mentioned Angelo Fabie, a spectator who joined one of many fan interplay video games held throughout the occasion.
Polarized
Fan opinion was extraordinarily polarized throughout Reyes’ stint as nationwide coach, with the vitriol reaching a boiling level throughout the World Cup. Reyes has since stepped down as nationwide coach and has defined the behind-the-scenes struggles that bogged the nationwide workforce’s preparations for the World Cup.
Thus far, followers have been typically optimistic of Cone, with out setting the identical expectations hoisted on the shoulders of the World Cup squad.
“[P]rofessionally, he’s already confirmed rather a lot,” fan John Francis Capoon mentioned.
“I feel there’s nonetheless a continuity, contemplating the truth that Tim Cone was an assistant coach of Chot and everyone knows that Tim Cone is the winningest coach in Philippine basketball in order that gained’t be an issue,” Fabio Ontong Jr. mentioned.
Cone hasn’t mentioned a lot in regards to the workforce’s prospects, however he believes the nationwide squad is in the appropriate state of mind to begin the nation’s medal bid.
“We’re all out there. Everyone desires to be right here. That’s the most important and strongest a part of the workforce, they’re excited to be within the nationwide workforce,” Cone mentioned.
“They’re excited in regards to the prospect of taking part in China, Korea, Bahrain and Jordan.”
Holdovers
Fiba World Cup holdovers June Mar Fajardo, Japeth Aguilar and Roger Pogoy, who was in road garments, have been within the open follow, together with Calvin Abueva and Terrence Romeo, Jason Perkins, Calvin Oftana, Chris Newsome and Justin Brownlee.
Skipping the occasion have been Scottie Thompson, Mo Tautuaa, Ange Kouame and Stanley Pringle, who continues training with the squad regardless of his function as an alternate.
“Stanley is our thirteenth [player] in case one thing occurs. He’s sacrificed himself coming right here and dealing with us, despite the fact that he doesn’t have a spot within the workforce at this level,” mentioned Cone.
The Asian Video games will start on Sept. 23, with the lads’s squad kicking off their bid for a medal end in opposition to Bahrain on the twenty sixth.
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