HANGZHOU – It was championship atmosphere inside the Gilas Pilipinas dugout shortly after it did the improbable in the 19th Asian Games against no less than host and defending champion China.
Gilas Pilipinas vs Jordan Asian Games finals preview
Tim Cone kept himself from a distance and let the players and staff soak in the glory of the team’s massive 77-76 upset of a team that had been seemingly invincible at home.
“It was like we’ve won a championship,” said the Gilas coach, recalling how players were shouting and hugging each other, while trying to get everybody wet with water being poured all over the place.
“And I can’t blame them for that feel.”
But only half of the job has been done, and the bigger battle now awaits the national team.
Gilas Pilipinas seeks the precious gold medal that has eluded the country for more than six decades as it takes on Jordan for the men’s basketball championship Friday night at the Hangzhou Olympic Centre.
Cone is a bit concerned of complacency setting in to the team, especially after dodging not just one but two bullets fired by Iran and China.
And so not lost on Cone and his coaching staff the repeated reminders that everything is not over yet.
“They have to understand that we have another game to play and I think they really want to come back and play Jordan,” said the 65-year-old veteran mentor. “We’re gonna have a nice feeling going to that game, but we got to make sure we directed them in the right direction.”
The battle for the gold set at 8 p.m. will also be a shot for Gilas to avenge a loss to Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Jordan in the preliminary in a game the Filipinos lost by 25 points (87-62).
Cone expressed the team’s desire to have another chance at Jordan following that blowout.
Now, the door has just been opened.
“We keep saying we want to get back and play Jordan. We want to get back and play Jordan. We’re back to play Jordan and we’ll see what we can do on Friday,” said Cone.
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.
