TIM Cone is under no illusion that Gilas Pilipinas will simply bowl over New Zealand when the two teams collide on Feb. 26 in the second window of the FIBA World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Sure, the Filipinos will enter that game sharing the leadership with the Australia Boomers at 2-0 in Group A, while the Tall Blacks and Guam are both winless in two games.
The Philippines registered two lopsided wins against Guam — an 87-46 rout in an away game last Frida, followed by a 95-72 triumph on Dec. 1, 2025.
The Tall Blacks weren’t too fortunate in their first round match up with the Boomers, dropping an 84-79 decision in Australia followed by a heartbreaking 79-77 loss in Wellington.
“They played Australia in their first window. It was almost expected that they would start 0-2. But both games were close, one a buzzer-beater, so don’t underestimate them because of their record,” Cone told The Manila Times.
Kai Sotto is back and healthy since tearing his ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) on his knee in January 2025.
The 7-foot-3 Sotto served as Gilas’ anchor with double-double norms of 15.5 points and 12.5 rebounds laced by 3.8 assists, 0.5 steals and 2.3 blocks for an all-around brilliance in four games in the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers back in 2024.
The shot-blocking Sotto even had his best game in that stretch, a 19-point, 10-rebound, two-block showing as Gilas beat New Zealand, 93-89, at home for the first time ever in November 2024.
Size-wise, Cone is happy to also have Quentin Millora-Brown, the former University of the Philippines big man in the pool, along with June Mar Fajardo and AJ Edu.
Gilas expects to begin preparing for the Asian Qualifiers late this week at the San Miguel Corp. basketball facility along C-5 in Pasig.
The Philippines is bunched alongside Australia, New Zealand, and Guam in Group A.
The Filipinos are looking to finish in the top three in the first round to stay in contention for a spot in the 2027 FIBA World Cup in Qatar.