However, head coach Tim Cone insisted that the Gilas Men will pick up the slack once the team starts to prepare with a complete roster.
Head coach Tim Cone admitted to feeling “disorganized” — as of the moment — as Gilas Pilipinas hit the ground running in their build-up for the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup next month.
Fresh from Brgy. Ginebra’s magical win off a LA Tenorio game-winner in Game 6 that forced a sudden-death contest with the San Miguel Beermen, Cone quickly led Gilas Men’ first training session on Monday, July 7 but with a incomplete roster.
[ALSO READ: LA Tenorio after saving Ginebra in Game 6 of PBA semis: ‘I felt like a rookie again’]
Justin Brownlee and AJ Edu are yet to be around, as well as former UAAP champion and MVP Kevin Quiambao, who is currently in the United States in pursuit of his NBA Summer League roster plans.
[ALSO READ: No Kevin Quiambao on Kings Summer League roster, but Jimmy Alapag serves as assistant coach]
National team mainstays Scottie Thompson and Japeth Aguilar of the Gin Kings, eight-time MVP June Mar Fajardo of the Beermen, and Calvin Oftana of the Grand Slam-seeking TNT Tropang 5G’ are notably absent due to the ongoing Philippine Cup semifinals.
“We just met and talked about how we can organize. I feel really disorganized at this point. Not everybody's here and it’s just hard to get ourselves organized at this point,” Cone stressed out.
[ALSO READ: Thompson lauds Ginebra vet Tenorio for heroic Game 6 showing: 'Classic, legend, idol']
Although Dwight Ramos and Carl Tamayo arrived, the PBA’s winningest coach of all-time admitted both of his wards are working their way to be in game shape.
[ALSO READ: Gilas star Dwight Ramos open to possibility of joining PBA Season 51 draft]
“Right now, we have a lot of the players who are ending the season and are very tired and worn out. We also got some guys, like Dwight [Ramos] and Carl [Tamayo] who played last May and they're not in game-shape,” the two-time Grand Slam winning coach bared.
He added: “We're trying to find the balance there and get extra time for them to meet with the trainers and get some time with them.”
While the inclusion of Troy Rosario, RJ Abarrientos, Zavier Lucero, and Rhenz Abando into the Gilas pool, the move was done as the team's compliance to FIBA on submitting a expanded roster for the Asia Cup.
[ALSO READ: Abando, Abarrientos, Rosario, and Lucero added to Gilas pool for FIBA Asia Cup]
But the 67-year-old mentor is confident that the team “will get organized” when all the smoke and dust settles, noting that the session is the “first step of coming together.”
“It’s a lot [of work] to do. Right now, guys are gonna stay and focus on their games until they're out and when they're out, they’re gonna come and start working out with the team,” Cone emphasized.
The Gilas Men head coach added that the team will resume practice either on Thursday or Friday, depending on the availability of players and other last-minute changes.