BARANGAY Ginebra plays its first game with head coach Tim Cone on leave for his NBA Summer League gig as assistant coach of the Miami Heat.
The Gin Kings square off against Converge on Friday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum at 6 p.m.
Cone’s first assistant Richard del Rosario will take the helm in the meantime as the 24-time PBA champion flew to San Francisco to join the Heat in the NBA Summer League.
Cone expressed confidence in Del Rosario, who has been his assistant since his days with the Purefoods franchise.
Cone on Richard del Rosario
“It’s all Richard’s ball. I’m excited for Richard. I really am. The guys respond to him so well and he knows the game extremely well. I’m excited he is going to get the opportunity,” said Cone, who still supervised practice before he left for the United States on Tuesday.
Ginebra is coming off a gritty 75-72 win over San Miguel last week to take a 4-1 win-loss record. Due to the one-week break, the Gins slipped to second place in a tie with Blackwater in the team standings ahead of San Miguel, which gained first position.
Converge looks to regain its winning ways after falling to San Miguel, 111-92, last Sunday to go down to 2-4 win-loss.
In the first game, TNT goes for its fifth straight victory when it goes up against winless Terrafirma at 3 p.m.
The Tropang GIGA go for their seventh win in nine games as they continue their grueling schedule, playing their third game in six days. TNT won over NorthPort, 117-112, last Wednesday.
The Dyip have yet to win after five games, losing to Blackwater, 107-70, last Saturday in the Bossing’s biggest winning margin in franchise history.