Tim Cone on Gilas’ Fiba OQT campaign: Now we know we can compete

Coach Tim Cone and Gilas Pilipinas ends its Fiba OQT campaign with their heads held high despite falling short of advancing to the final. –FIBA PHOTO

Still reeling from Gilas Pilipinas’ loss to Brazil that ended the Nationals’ bid to make the Paris Olympics, national coach Tim Cone on Saturday said there is still something pleasant to take away from the campaign.

“It’s hard to talk about this after you lose but it’s a growth experience for us,” Cone said on the heels of a 71-60 defeat at the hands of the World No. 12 Brazil in the semifinal of the Fiba Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Arena Riga.

“It’s, kinda like a ‘now we know’ moment, ‘Now we know we can compete. So now, how [do] we get that next step in so we can get a little better—and not just compete, but win?”

HIGHLIGHTS: Gilas Pilipinas vs Brazil Fiba OQT semifinals July 6

Like many in the Gilas Pilipinas’ quarters, Cone believes that the Riga campaign replenished the program’s belief in itself.

In just the past week, the Philippines toppled World No. 6 Latvia on its home turf and less than 24 hours after that threatened a tall, No. 23-ranked Georgian team that was fighting for life.

Gilas Pilipinas ends it Fiba OQT run and dreams of making it to the Paris Olympics with a loss to Brazil in the semifinals. –FIBA PHOTO

More than the tactical lessons, it’s the confidence manufactured off those games that will spur Gilas Pilipinasas it turns its sights on the next dream in Qatar where the next Fiba World Cup will be played and berths to the Los Angeles Olympics will be dangled.

“Playing this kind of tournament, where you’re playing 3 games in 4 days, it just gets harder and harder every game. These are things that we’ll need to adjust to,” Cone said.

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“We didn’t expect to be here but once we’re here, we expected to win. It’s an incredible disappointment for us and we’re not going to jump up and down and say, ‘Yay, we did our thing and everybody was proud of us.’ Hopefully, that doesn’t get into our mindset,” he added.

“We need to keep pushing and moving forward, getting better.”