Tim Cone is now officially back as coach of the Philippine basketball team, sealing an agreement with Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio for the head coaching job in the 30th SEA Games the country is hosting on Nov. 30-Dec. 11.
Cone is back in Team Phl saddle after 29 years from a previous tenure when he steered the Centennial squad to a bronze-medal finish in the Asian Games in 1998 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Still up in the air are the players Cone is fielding to defend the country's SEAG crown, but it's likely to be an all-pro team since the SBP is just about to form a new "dedicated" national pool to undergo an intensive program geared at doing good in the 2023 and 2027 FIBA World Cup.
Cone's main men at Barangay Ginebra and probably the aces from San Miguel Beer and Magnolia could banner the SEAG Phl team.
"(The SMC players) hatak yan pag si Tim Cone," SBP chairman emeritus Manny V. Pangilinan had said in anticipation of Cone accepting offer to coach the Nationals in the biennial meet.
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Cone formally gave his affirmative answer yesterday after a talk with his family.
"I spoke to Tim Cone last Saturday and he expressed interested but wanted to finish his game and talk to his family first," said the SBP president. "Now I'm very happy to announce that coach Tim has officially accepted the role as head coach for Gilas Pilipinas Men in the upcoming SEA Games."
Cone has two months to lay down his program, select the players and run the training in the regional meet where they will go for the gold medal the country can't afford to lose.
"I will sit down with the SBP over the next couple of days and come up with a plan of attack in terms of preparation, and we're hoping by the end of the week, we'll have a pool of players working together at full force. I'm extremely excited to get going," said Cone.
Cone is ecstatic, saying: "Even though my appointment is just a stop-gap measure and a short-term commitment, I am incredibly honored and proud to be selected to coach in the SEA Games. Wow! I'm very happy to help in any way." (SB)
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