Gilas Pilipinas’ preparations for the 30th Southeast Asian Games will go a notch higher come November.
Coach Tim Cone revealed that the national team will figure in several tuneups as they look to sharpen up as best as they can for the regional biennial meet in Manila from November 30-December 11.
Gilas will play the Jimmy Alapag-mentored San Miguel Alab Pilipinas of the ASEAN Basketball League on November 4 and 11, then a Taiwanese ball club on the 18th.
“We have a practice game on the 4th against Alab … We’re also playing on the 11th against Alab, and then we have a Taiwan team coming into town with imports, who we might play on the 18th.
“So for the next three Mondays, we’ll have practice games trying to get us prepared,” Cone said on Monday evening, moments after the Nationals’ practice at the Meralco Gym in Pasig City.
However, the team will hold the tuneups behind closed doors, since Cone wants his team to focus more on the games.
“We’re trying to keep our range tight. We know the people are out there scouting us,” the decorated bench tactician explained. “And we also want to have total focus ’cause our time is so short.
“We want to have total focus on coming in and playing and working against the Alab team, and not having to worry about playing for the crowd, playing for you guys or trying to look good or whatever.”
“We’re trying to do the work. That’s why we’re closing that game out,” Cone added.
With these games on deck, Cone said that he will try to balance things out since players are also still helping their respective PBA teams reach the 2019 Governors’ Cup playoffs.
“We’re talking about the fact that as we get to the games, we’re gonna need more, demand more. More effort, more energy. And the only problem is when the games come closer, so do the playoffs of the PBA,” he said.
“So that’s what we’re trying to keep in mind: They’re working towards the playoffs, the games become more important. And how do we find the balance between that importance and the SEAG importance? That’s something we talked about today.”
