TWENTY five years after, Tim Cone is heading back to the Asian Games.
The most accomplished mentor in PBA history was named head coach of Gilas Pilipinas to the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, taking over a team left in disarray after Chot Reyes resigned and half of the Fiba World Cup players left to play overseas.
Cone, 65, taking over the job daunting as it may, comes more than two decades since he steered the celebrated all-pro Centennial Team to a bronze-medal finish in the 1998 Asiad in Bangkok, Thailand.
The third place finish marked the last time the Philippines won a medal in the basketball competition of the quadrennial meet.
Short the preparation may be for this Gilas team, but Cone said he's accepting the challenge.
"We'll do what we can. We're not afraid to fail. You learn and you get better from," said the Barangay Ginebra coach, owner of 25 championships in Asia's pioneering pro league.
"We're not going up there and guarantee a gold, but we have chance. We're going to fight for that gold."
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) president Al S. Panlilio said Cone was the logical choice to take over from Reyes.
"You always talk about continuity. Tim was there in the World Cup, training and everything. He's been there, he's the winningest coach in the PBA. I mean, there's no doubt," said Panlilio, who sat beside Cone when he was presented in a joint presser between the PBA and SBP at the league office in Libis, Quezon City on Thursday.
Also present during the full-packed presentation were San Miguel Corporation (SMC) sports director Alfrancis Chua, PBA Board chairman Ricky Vargas, vice chairman Bobby Rosales, commissioner Willie Marcial, treasure Atty. Raymond Zorilla, and board of governors Eric Arejola (Northport), Robert Non (San Miguel), Atty. Bill Pamintuan (Meralco), Siliman Sy (Blackwater), Archen Cayabyab (Converge), Rene Pardo (Magnolia), and Atty. Mamerto Mondragon (Rain or Shine).
Cone though clarified his stint as Gilas head coach will only be on an interim basis, simialr to what he did in 2019 when he replaced Yeng Guiao after the World Cup and steered the team to the gold medal in the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Manila.
"At this point I'm just the interim all through the Asian Games, and give the SBP time to explore and figure out the direction they want to go and the person that they want to lead," said Cone.
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