MANILA, Philippines — Over a week after the PBA-backed Philippine team failed in its bid to retain the country’s basketball title in the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, Gilas coach Tim Cone expects a “full review” of the team’s performance.
The Manila Times asked the American mentor when the post-Asian Games evaluation be, but he gave no time nor date.
“Not yet, but there will be a full review,” Cone said in a short response.
Cone’s Gilas-Asiad squad didn’t have regular national players led by Dwight Ramos, AJ Edu, Kevin Quiambao, along with young big man Kai Sotto in Japan.
Ramos and Co. are not given the green light to play by their respective clubs from Japan and South Korea since the Asian Games is not sanctioned by FIBA.
Their unavailability left Cone with no choice but to form a separate Gilas team dedicated to play in the Asian Games in Japan.
Sans naturalized player Justin Brownlee, who continues to recover from multiple injuries to his knee, hamstring and leg, Gilas got whitewashed twice by the Korean national team during their two-game invitational in Suwon, a week before the start of the Asian Games.
The Philippines then opened the Asian Games with an 85-89 shocking loss to Bahrain, which was reinforced by four naturalized players.
Gilas managed to redeem itself by smashing, 109-78, but disaster struck when the national squad suffered a 105-61 shellacking at the hands of China that dealt the death blow to the country’s title-retention hopes.
South Korea went on to beat host Japan for the gold last Sunday, 67-57, while Iran subdued China, 79-70 to grab the bronze in the Asiad.
