Belief might not guarantee victory, but it's one good thing to hold onto for coach Tim Cone and Gilas Pilipinas as they challenge two-time defending champion Australia in the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 quarterfinals.
Belief alone won’t be enough to topple Australia, but it the best thing to carry as Gilas Pilipinas prepare for their toughest FIBA Asia Cup test yet.
Despite the looming challenge of facing the two-time defending champion Boomers, Gilas head coach Tim Cone remains optimistic about his team’s chances in their quarterfinal clash tonight at 7:00 p.m. (PH time) at the King Abdullah Sports City.
“I just told the guys that we have to believe [that we can beat Australia]. We looked at the video and feel we’re a good matchup for them,” Cone said.
Gilas made the tournament's final eight after a gutsy 95-89 overtime win against hosts Saudi Arabia.
[ALSO READ: Why Tim Cone was least surprised on Brownlee magic for QF-bound Gilas in FIBA Asia Cup]
That set the stage for this Australia game, where the Boomers enter with a perfect FIBA Asia Cup record since their first appearance in 2017.
And yet, Cone remained upbeat about Gilas' chances of pulling off a major upset and advancing to the semifinals for the first time since 2015.
“Australia is not Saudi Arabia. We know we have a higher mountain to climb, but we feel we match up well and have a good chance,” Cone stated.
[ALSO READ: Gilas Pilipinas face Australia in FIBA Asia Cup quarterfinals, 7 years after infamous brawl]
However, injuries to Calvin Oftana and Cjay Perez cast some dark clouds on the team for this win-or-go-home showdown, something that is a point of concern for the 67-year-old tactician.
[ALSO READ: Injuries to Calvin Oftana, Cjay Perez cast cloud over Gilas ahead of Australia game in FIBA Asia Cup]
"Right now, it’s all about making sure we have enough legs and enough energy to play them at the level we need. That’s our worry—can we do that for 40 minutes, especially with a short bench now that Calvin and CJ are both out?" Cone bared.
Australia swept Group A with a 3-0 record, capped by a 110-82 rout of Qatar. The Boomers will play this Gilas game coming off a two-day break.
For Gilas, this will be their third game in four days—a grueling stretch that Cone insists could also serve as a boost in team chemistry.
“The more we’re together, the more we improve. We’re starting to understand our concepts a little better, and our execution on both ends of the floor is improving,” he said.