GILAS Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone expressed deep disappointment after the national team failed to reach the quarterfinals of the Asian Games, pointing to the absence of several key players as a major factor in the campaign.
Cone said the Philippines brought a talented group to the tournament but was unable to field its strongest possible lineup because several players were not released by their respective mother teams.
“Not sure what to say. Deeply disappointed we couldn’t get to the quarters,” Cone said in a Viber message to Fastbreak. “But it’s a reminder for us that if we don’t or can’t bring our best players to these international events, we won’t excel.”
Among those Cone wished were available were Gilas regulars Kai Sotto, AJ Edu, Quentin Millora-Brown, Mike Philips, Dwight Ramos, Kevin Quiambao and Carl Tamayo.
“It would have been nice to have Kai (Sotto) and AJ (Edu) and Q (Quentin Millora-Brown) and Mike Philips and Dwight (Ramos) and KQ (Kevin Quiambao) and Carl (Tamayo) and the like, but they weren’t permitted from their mother teams,” he said.
Cone also believed that veteran center June Mar Fajardo could have provided a significant boost to the squad.
“Even June Mar would have made an impact,” he added.
The Philippines struggled against bigger opponents throughout the tournament, eventually bowing out of the men’s 5-on-5 competition after finishing with a 1-2 record in Group C.
Despite the disappointing result, Cone defended the players who suited up for Gilas, saying they gave everything they had for the national team.
“But, hey, the guys we had played their hearts out,” Cone said. “We were just oversized by the other teams.”
Cone emphasized that the players should not be blamed for the team’s shortcomings, stressing their commitment despite the limitations of the roster.
“They were a great group of guys who loved playing for their country,” he said. “It wasn’t their fault that we couldn’t add size to their roster to help them out. They gave their all.” (Adrian Co)
