Fernandez, kumpiyansang makaka-gold ang Gilas sa 30th SEAG

Matapos na maipakilala ang mga bumubuo ng Philippine men’s basketball pool para isabak sa 30th Southeast Asian Games, kumpiyansa si Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Commissioner Ramon Fernandez na ang newly-appointed national coach Tim Cone ay magtatagumpay.

Naniniwala si Fernandez, miyembro ng silver-winning Asian Games team noong 1990 Beijing, na ang Pilipinas ay kayang magwagi ng ika-18 overall men’s SEA Games basketball title mula noong 1977. Ang men’s basketball competition ay idaraos sa Dis. 1-10 sa MOA Arena, Pasay City. “He (Cone) knows what it takes to win in the Southeast Asian Games. It can be done with an all-pro lineup and even with a mix collegiate stars,” ayon sa four-time Philippine Basketball Association Most Valuable Player.

Kamakailan, binuo na ni Cone ang Gilas Pilipinas 15-man SEA Games pool sa pangunguna ni

Brgy. Ginebra San Miguel players na sina Japeth Aguilar, Greg Slaughter, Scottie Thompson, LA Tenorio, Art Dela Cruz at Stanley Pringle.

Ang iba pang players na napili ay sina June Mar Fajardo, Marcio Lassiter, Chris Ross, Christian Standhardinger, Roger Pogoy, Troy Rosario, Jayson Castro, Vic Manuel at Matthew Wright.

Sa nakaraang 2017 Southeast Asian Games sa Malaysia, ang Gilas Pilipinas ay binuo ng magkahalong professional at amateur players kung kaya nakuha ang gold medal.

Nagbalik si Cone sa national team sa ikalawang pagkakataon matapos na mag-coach sa Philippine Centennial squad noong 1998 Bangkok Asian Games. Kung saan naka-bronze medal ang koponan.