GILAS Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone saw plenty of areas that need improvement despite their close victory over Korean Basketball League side Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus, 81-76, in a tune-up game on Thursday.
According to the veteran mentor, the close contest showed the national team how much work remains before it reaches the level needed for its upcoming FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifier matches.
“We won a close game. We didn’t play well, but the game gave us a good indication of where we are and how far we have to go to get ready,” Cone told Fastbreak via a Viber message on Thursday.
The game served as an important test for Gilas as it continues its preparations for the upcoming FIBA window, where they will have home games against Jordan and Iran.
Gilas played without naturalized star Justin Brownlee, who remains in San Diego, California, while recovering from ankle and hamstring injuries.
The national team has opted not to rush his return. (Adrian Co)
