Jordan Heading isn’t really thinking about Gilas Pilipinas and anything about it when he goes up against Coach Tim Cone this Saturday in Batangas City.
The lefty gunner is only concerned about how he and Converge can come up with the best possible plan — and performance — to beat Ginebra in a bid to stretch their winning ways in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup.
“That whole Gilas thing, it’s not really on my mind, to be honest. My mind’s set really right now on Converge versus Ginebra,” he said after their 116-105 come-from-behind victory over Phoenix on Thursday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
An important piece of Tab Baldwin’s Philippine team a few years ago, Heading was being planned to fill in for the injured Scottie Thompson for the squad bound for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024 in Latvia back in July
(C) PBA Images
The Fil-Aussie guard has expressed willingness to play for the present program being handled by Tim Cone and the PBA’s winningest mentor himself called the former B.League import regarding the Riga campaign.
Unfortunately, he had to turn down the offer for personal reasons, as he and his wife have been trying to get pregnant for two years.
Fast forward to now and the two find themselves meeting in the PBA, with Heading and his FiberXers out to pull off an upset against the crowd darlings.
The wards of acting coach Franco Atienza are coming in confident as they’re in the midst of a two-game winning streak following Thursday’s triumph, which saw them climb back from a deficit as big as 18 points.
Heading himself was crucial in the win with 21 points, three rebounds, six assists, and five steals, making him one marked man for the Kings defense.
And perhaps it’s a reminder as well of how key he could be for the present-day Gilas. But then again, that’s something totally far from his mind right now.
“We’re locked in on what we need to do to beat them. There’s no other needed motivation, there’s nothing extra that’s needed. We just want to beat them. Gilas aside, you know,” Heading said, smiling.
