TIM Cone is now locked in on Gilas Pilipinas preparations for two major international tournaments in a month’s span.
Make that, two Gilas national teams.
Two separate men’s basketball squads start training on Monday at the SMC practice facility as the country gears up for its hosting of the FIBA World Cup qualifiers window later this month and its gold-medal retention bid in the 20th Asian Games in September.
Cone said he’ll be in charge priming up the Gilas team for the qualifiers, while the Asiad unit will be handled by Jong Uichico for the meantime.
“We’re gonna have two pretty separate teams. One for the window, and one for the Asian Games. That’s pretty much the plan,” said Cone.
Who are the players in the two teams?
Aside than naturalized player Justin Brownlee and June Mar Fajardo, almost certain to make the team for the qualifiers are overseas players like Dwight Ramos, Carl Tamayo, and Kevin Quiambao since they will be made available by their Japan B.League and Korean teams for the FIBA window.
With most overeseas-based players unavailable for the Asian Games, the Gilas team that will defend the men's basketball gold medal in Nagoya will likely be composed of PBA players and Fil-foreign players who are eligible under the passport only rule.
READ Dwight Ramos, AJ Edu to miss out on Gilas' Asiad title defense
However, the composition of the Gilas lineup for the Asian Games will be limited to the players whose names were submitted to Nagoya organizers under the 'entry by name' list.
The composition of the two teams will likely be revealed during the first day of practice on Monday.
The second round of the window starts on August 28 at the Mall of Asia Arena where Gilas faces off with Jordan followed by its clash against Iran on the 30th.
The Asian Games is set to kick off on Sept. 10, although the national team leaves earlier for South Korea to play a pair of friendlies.
“We’re going to practice separately,” said Cone. “The plan is for me to handle the window until we get it done and to transfer to the Asian team.
“In the meantime, Richard (Del Rosario), Josh (Reyes) and Jong (Uichico) will handle the Asian Games.”
LA Tenorio and Sean Chambers, two coaches who played for Cone for a long time, along with Barangay Ginebra deputy Patrick Partosa, will assist the Gilas head coach in the FIBA window training.
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