No surprise for Cone as South Korea wins Asian Games basketball gold
MANILA, Philippines — Gilas Pilipinas coach Tim Cone had no doubt that the Korean national team is capable of winning the 20th Asian Games men’s basketball gold in the Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
Cone said he already had that conclusion somewhat the moment the Koreans manhandled the Filipinos by an average winning margin of 26.5 points in their two-game Hana Invitational Basketball Invitational in Suwon, South Korea, just a week before the opening of the Asiad men’s basketball.
“I thought Korea was the favored team for the gold from the beginning and despite our loss to China,” Cone told the Manila Times, just a day after Korea turned back host Japan, 67-57 on Sunday to win its first Asian Games men’s gold in 14 years.
Cone and Gilas, backed by PBA stars, failed to defend the country’s Asiad basketball title following its embarrassing 105-61 defeat at the hands of mighty China at the close of the group stage.
Many thought that China was a cinch to rule the basketball tournament this time after annihilating its opponents in the group stage behind an astounding average winning margin of 42.6 points per contest.
In contrast, the Philippines limped to a 1-2 record at the end of the group stage as it failed to reach the knockout phase.
Cone admitted, that after that 44-point beatdown from the Chinese, he was expecting the eight-time Asian Games champions to reach the final round opposite the Koreans.
However, China, bannered by 7-3 giant Yu Jiahao, Wang Junjie and guard Liao Sanning, struggled to get past a scrappy Saudi Arabia side, 87-78 in the quarterfinals.
The Chinese reached the semifinal round, but by then, the Japanese crafted a solid game plan to dominate their East Asian counterparts, 97-77 in a massive upset to reach the gold medal round against the Koreans.
“I did think China would play them (Koreans) in the Finals. Japan was impressive and you can never discount Iran. They are a great defensive team,” shared Cone.
If anything, Cone in retrospect, said he wished he brought the Gilas team that played in the recent FIBA World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers fourth window in Manila.
“Korea was the only team in the Asian Games that brought their entire team from the Windows. That tells you how important continuity is to international events,” stressed the American mentor, who led the Philippines to the first Asian Games gold medal in 2023, marking the country’s first basketball championship since 1962 in Jakarta.
“Needless to say, I wish we could have brought our window team. It would have continued to give them valuable experience playing together.” Of course, Cone has his own limitations with the Gilas window team, since players like Dwight Ramos, Kevin Quiambao, AJ Edu, Carl Tamayo and even Kai Sotto, who has reportedly signed with a Japan B.League team already, are not allowed by their respective Korean and Japanese pro ballclubs from playing in non-FIBA tournaments.
Gilas, after the failed Asian Games title-retention bid, is back to the drawing boards for the quadrennial games. But the national team hopes to come back strong by late November for the next window of the Asian Qualifiers where the Philippines plays Syria and Iran as it continues to pursue a spot in the 2027 FIBA World Cup in Doha, Qatar.
