SMC group takes bigger role in Gilas

MANILA — (UPDATED) Tim Cone has been appointed as the new head coach of the Gilas Pilipinas squad that will compete in the coming Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) made the announcement at the PBA headquarters in Libis on Thursday.

SBP president Al Panlilio said they were able to convince Cone, who has earlier refused to replace Chot Reyes, through the prodding of San Miguel Corp. boss Ramon S. Ang.

"No minute was wasted to persuade the PBA's winningest coach with the intervention of San Miguel Corp. CEO Ramon S. Ang to reconsider his earlier position to handle the national team," Panlilio said in a statement he read before the press.

Ang's SMC owns three clubs in the PBA, including Barangay Ginebra where Cone serves as head tactician.

Joining Cone team at the Gilas Pilipinas bench for the Asian Games are SMC sports director Alfrancis Chua as team manager and PBA commissioner Willie Marcial as deputy team manager.

Serving as Gilas assistant coaches are Richard del Rosario, Jong Uichico, Josh Reyes and PBA player LA Tenorio.

Interim basis

Cone stressed during the press conference that he has accepted the job on a temporary basis given the limited preparation time the team has before the Asian Games which takes place in three weeks.

"The Asian Games is coming up and they asked me to do it," he said. "I'd do it interim. It would be the idea that after the games they would have a longer time to explore and try to find the right guy."

"At this point, I'm the interim."

Earlier, Cone's friend Reyes voluntarily stepped aside following harsh criticisms from local basketball fans after Gilas absorbed heavy losses in the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

The Barangay Ginebra coach has served as national team coach before. In 1998, Cone mentored the much-celebrated National Centennial team to a bronze-medal finish in the Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand.

Cone earlier refused to take the coaching job out of respect to Reyes, whom he worked with during the FIBA World Cup.

"I didn't want to be the guy taking Chot's place. He's my friend. I didn't want to do that," he said. "But the guys keep texting me, 'Are you gonna do it? I said no, no, no.'"

"Then on (Monday) evening Alfrancis called. Asked me if I'd do it, I said 'OK, I'll talk about it with my family. I'll let you know tomorrow morning."

"An hour later he called back, RSA was there. RSA spoke to me and asked me if I would to it. I didn't have to wait 'til the next day to say yes, once the big boss asks, it's time to do it."

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