30TH SEA GAMES Offense not a problem for Gilas – Cone
It will be all guns blazing for Gilas Pilipinas in the 30th Southeast Asian Games.
With established superstars in the fold, Gilas coach Tim Cone isn’t worried about running an offensive set against any opponent in the region, knowing his players are capable of spewing heavy firepower.
What he wants accomplished is for the players to be on the same page defensively.
“Offense is no problem with these guys,” said Cone after he conducted his first practice session with the allPBA national team Monday night at the Meralco gym in Quezon City.
“My teaching is more about the defensive side,” added Cone.
Of the 15 players Cone named to the national team pool, 14 showed up, with reigning five-time MVP June Mar Fajardo of San Miguel Beer asking to be excused due to personal reasons.
The core of Cone’s Barangay Ginebra San Miguel composed of LA Tenorio,
Greg Slaughter, Scottie Thompson, Japeth Aguilar, Stanley Pringle and Art dela Cruz were present during the first practice session.
TNT KaTropa’s Jayson Castro, RR Pogoy and Troy Rosario, San Miguel Beer’s Christian Standhardinger, Marcio Lassiter and Chris Ross, Alaska’s Vic Manuel and Matthew Wright of Phoenix Fuel were also present. Lassiter and Standhardinger did not practice due to injuries.
Cone's practice session lasted less than two hours after a team meeting with players and the coaching staff.
He ran a couple of drills, although nothing extensive from the triangle offense which he used extensively with Alaska and San Mig Coffee, both of which won the Grand Slam.
“We’re using the triangle concept, playing more of motion offense; that’s easier to teach and that’s easier to learn. But it’s still a read-react offense like the triangle,” said Cone.
“We’re going to simplify it a little bit more. We’ll see how far we’re going to be. With these guys, offense is not a problem,” he added.