GILAS Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone refused to read too much into the national team’s 81-55 loss to South Korea on Friday, stressing that the national team are still in the process of building chemistry ahead of the 2026 Asian Games.
The Philippines struggled against a Korean side that fielded its full-strength lineup, falling behind early and failing to mount a sustained comeback in their first of two exhibition games at KT Sonicboom Arena.
But Cone said the result was less important than using the tuneup as preparation for the Asian Games, which begin next week in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
“We weren’t good, no doubt. But we don’t need to be good right now. We need to be good a week from now when the Asian Games start,” Cone said in a Viber message to Fastbreak right after the match.
The veteran coach said the current Gilas lineup still needs time to develop its cohesion, with several players adjusting to new roles and playing alongside one another for the first time.
“So we’ll use this and Sunday’s game to get better. Guys are still feeling each other out, learning to play together, learning what their roles are,” he added.
Gilas entered the Korean trip with an 11-man lineup after leaving its final roster spot open for Justin Brownlee, who remains in the United States recovering from injuries.
The team also did not have several key players who helped the Philippines sweep Jordan and Iran in the recent FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers, leaving Cone with a largely new group for the Asian Games buildup.
South Korea immediately took control, opening the game with a 13-2 run before taking a 24-18 lead after the first quarter and stretching the advantage to 45-33 at halftime.
Lee Jung-hyun spearheaded Korea with 27 points, including seven three-pointers, while Lee Hyun-joong contributed nine rebounds despite struggling from beyond the arc.
Despite the lopsided result, Cone remains confident the team can put the pieces together before the Asian Games.
“I believe we’ll settle in and figure it out. This team is really motivated,” he said.
Gilas will get another opportunity to fine-tune its lineup against South Korea on Sunday before heading to Japan for its Asian Games campaign.
The Philippines opens its title defense against Bahrain on Sept. 11, followed by Kazakhstan on Sept. 12 and China on Sept. 14. (Adrian Co)
