Tim Cone plans Gilas Pilipinas' growth through Feb 2025 matches

Gilas Pilipinas coach Tim Cone is planning for the team's growth as they prepare for their upcoming international matches in February 2025 against Chinese Taipei and New Zealand.

Despite securing a spot in the FIBA Asia Cup, these games will be crucial for the team’s development and readiness for future competitions.

Coach Cone emphasized that playing on the road is essential for improvement and highlighted the importance of learning to win away from home.

Highlights from the 10-month campaign include a historic upset over world No. 6 Latvia, strong performances against Georgia and Brazil, recent victories over Hong Kong and New Zealand, and maintaining an unbeaten record in FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers with four consecutive wins.

Coach Cone noted the need to improve defensive strategies, particularly in guarding three-point shots, which was evident during their home victories.

After keeping a tight core group of around 15 players for consistency and improvement, Coach Cone now says that while he prefers maintaining this group, everything will be assessed moving forward.

Despite chants from the crowd for injured player Dwight Ramos to play, Coach Cone adhered to medical advice and kept him on the bench.