Ginebra will not see action for an entire game week in the PBA Governors’ Cup, but that doesn’t mean rest and recovery for the reigning champions.
Coach Tim Cone and the team’s Gilas members will be gearing up for the upcoming FIBA World Cup 2023 Asian Qualifiers window. Meanwhile, the remaining Kings will also be a busy bunch as they try to remain sharp during the ‘break.’
“At this point, it’s really going to be Coach Richard’s ball, he’s going to take it and go with it,” said the league’s winningest mentor moments after their 119-93 annihilation of Blackwater to end a two-game slide, Sunday night.
Similar to the November window, lead deputy Richard Del Rosario will be presiding over Ginebra practices. Cone will be focusing on the men’s team’s build-up for Window 6 next week, where they’ll be facing Lebanon and Jordan.
“I’m going to be basically full-time with the Gilas team this whole week,” said the 65-year-old, who’s serving as an assistant to Chot Reyes.
“Because we’re going to be doing two-a-day practice starting Tuesday. We have practice tomorrow night and two practices on Tuesday, another two practices on Wednesday, so it’s not going to give me any time to really be with the team.”
Joining Cone on going ‘full-time’ with Gilas are Scottie Thompson, Jamie Malonzo, and Justin Brownlee, who will be the naturalized player.
Japeth Aguilar is, of course, among the Ginebra players part of the national squad. However, he has been ruled out for next week due to an MCL sprain.
“The three key guys, three starters that we rely on most, are doing more work now than they would be on a regular PBA week because we’re doing two-a-days, we’re playing Lebanon [on Friday],” said Cone.
“Justin’s going to play big minutes for Gilas and Scottie is going to be a starter, I assume. Jamie’s going to be there also, and again, the two-a-day practices.”
And while they’re all out, Del Rosario and Co. have the task of keeping the Barangay in form – and mainly hone their defensive habits, said Cone.
It will also be an opportunity for LA Tenorio and Stanley Pringle to regain their rhythm, and for the new youngsters to grasp the system better, he added.
“Stanley and LA, they need to get their rhythm back so they need the practices and continue to find rhythm coming from injuries,” Cone said.
“That’s what this week is going to be about for Ginebra. Trying to hone our habits, get our defensive habits a little bit better. Get the new guys to understand a little bit more,” he furthered.
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The second game of each PBA gameday is live-streamed on SMART Sports.
