Gilas Pilipinas begins FIBA Asia Cup build-up, but Cone not expecting full attendance yet
But the multi-titled tactician isn't expecting to have a full attendance on the first day of practice, especially since most of the players are either not in the country yet or are still suiting up for their mother teams in the ongoing PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup.
The Monday practice will mark the national team's first meeting one month before the Asia Cup slated on August 5 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
"It's not going to be a heavy, long practice, obviously. I'm not even sure if everybody is going to show up, especially the guys in the playoffs," Cone said on Sunday after steering Barangay Ginebra to a Game 6 win over San Miguel in the semifinals.
"We got a Game 7 on Wednesday so asking the guys to come to practice is kind of hard."
Most of the members of the Gilas pool are currently in the PBA playoffs with Scottie Thompson, Japeth Aguilar, Troy Rosario, and Jamie Malonzo playing for Cone's Gin Kings, who dragged the San Miguel Beermen to a do-or-die Game 7 on Wednesday.
The Beermen, meanwhile, also have active Gilas players in June Mar Fajardo and CJ Perez. National team gunner Calvin Oftana is also still with a TNT tem that had already clinched a ticket to the finals to keep its bid for a Grand Slam alive.
Meanwhile, several other players are still overseas. Justin Brownlee and AJ Edu expected to arrive soon from the United States while Kevin Quiambao and Carl Tamayo are currently in the US and South Korea, respectively.
"Like I said, I don't even know who's showing up at this point. We're grasping at straws just like we did tonight in terms of trying to figure out how to get practices," Cone added.
"But if we can get a core of six or seven or eight guys, that would be good for now."
Gilas is in Group D of the Asia Cup alongside New Zealand, Iraq, and Chinese Taipei.
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
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