GILAS Pilipinas starts prepping up for its FIBA Asia Cup campaign by next week as coach Tim Cone will gather all players via zoom.
The national coach said practice schedule and the team's itinerary leading up to its campaign in the August 5-17 meet in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia will be discussed during the zoom meeting.
"We'll go over the practice schedule. We're trying to get some Monday practices before we actually come together. We will start sometime during the (PBA) finals," said Cone.
Barangay Ginebra is currently in the semifinals of the Philippine Cup opposite San Miguel. And Cone already has a prepared setup whatever happens to the Kings' fate in the playoffs.
"If I am not in the finals, then I will obviously coach the practices. But if I am in the finals, then we'll get Richard (Del Rosario) and Sean Chambers to handle the practices while I'm with Ginebra," Cone disclosed.
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In all, the Gilas coach plans to have around 18 practices for the team and is looking to hold training camp in Clark, Pampanga prior to its departure to Jeddah.
The camp includes a possible twice-a-day practices and then a friendly with the Macau Bears here in the country before the team leaves, and then another exhibition match in Saudi Arabia against any of the participating countries who will arrive earlier for the tournament.
"So we're hoping to have 18 practices that includes friendlies, before we actually get into the first game proper on August 5," said Cone as part of his interview in the Power and Play radio program of former PBA Commissioner Noli Eala.
Gilas is in Group D along with Chinese Taipei, New Zealand, and Iraq.
The Filipinos will play Chinese Taipei first on August 6 at the King Abdullah Sports City, followed by the Tall Blacks on August 8, and the Iraqis on August 10.(RG)
