LAPU-LAPU CITY - The head coach of the Australian men's basketball team couldn't agree more on the choice of Tim Cone as Gilas Pilipinas mentor.
"I think Tim Cone is the perfect coach for the future of Philippine basketball," declared Brian Goorjian on Saturday during an East Asia Super League (EASL) basketball clinic at the Hoops Dome
"He's been there, he knows the system, he knows the players. He's smart, he's knowledgeable."
The kind words are nothing but respect coming from a world-class coach whose former team, the Bay Area Dragons, was beaten by Cone's Barangay Ginebra Kings in the deciding Game 7 of last year's PBA Commissioner's Cup.
Following the triumph, Cone went on and came on board Gilas Pilipinas initially as deputy coach of Chot Reyes during the gold medal run in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games and later, in the FIBA World Cup.
The 66-year-old coach then assumed the coaching job with the national team leading to the 19th Asian Games where the Filipinos ended 61 years of futility by winning the gold in Hangzhou, China.
The most accomplished coach in PBA history was appointed as permanent coach of Gilas early this year before leading the team to a two-game sweep of its opening round campaign in the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers behind wins over Hong Kong on the road and Chinese Taipei at home.
All of these were not lost on Goorjian, admitting the humble loss he suffered at the hands of Cone was a learning experience for him.
"Tim Cone was somebody I learned from and his success in the Asian (Games) and now with what he's done already with the (Asia Cup) window, I just think the Philippines will just go on a surge. They're introducing new, young players to the team, (Kai) Sotto, Kevin (Quiambao). So there's new, young exciting players entering the Philippine team," said the 70-year-old coach who steered Australia to its first ever Olympic medal (bronze) during the 2020 Tokyo Games.
"I think Tim Cone's hiring is big for the Philippines."
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
