Philippines’ coach Earl Cone is carried by his staff gamers after successful the gold medal sport between Jordan and the Philippines on the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Video games in Hangzhou in China’s japanese Zhejiang province on October 6, 2023. (Picture by William WEST / AFP)
Someday on the peak of the coronavirus pandemic, Tim Cone spoke about how he wished to pursue a profession in writing earlier than teaching made him abandon that dream.
He did some writing on Friday night time within the Hangzhou Asian Video games.
Cone, handed the keys to the staff solely a month in the past, overcame one adversity after one other to script the best story of his teaching profession and, for now, of the nation.
“I’ve been in a position to coach in some grand slams, large championships and all that stuff, however that is one thing totally different, that is one thing particular,’’ stated the Barangay Ginebra coach.
“I believe lots of people thought we had been the lambs being led to slaughter,” he stated in a message to the Inquirer on Saturday on the best way to Shanghai, from the place the basketball contingent will take a flight again dwelling. “However these guys had the idea that they may do one thing particular.”
This nationwide staff practiced for lower than two weeks and handled a manpower disaster days earlier than leaving for the Asiad. In China, the staff barely survived opponents and received a group-phase whipping from Jordan that pressured it to an extended path to the gold medal.
Led by Justin Brownlee, the Philippines needed to squeak previous Iran earlier than rallying to stun host China, which was raring for payback after an embarrassing loss to the Filipinos within the World Cup in Manila.
However all these issues turned out to be the gas to finish a 61-year anticipate an Asian Video games gold medal.
“I believe we entered the Video games with a collective chip on our shoulders,” Cone stated.
“Quite a lot of the fellows had been along with [former national coach] Chot [Reyes] within the Southeast Asian Video games and had that earlier chemistry constructed by him,” he added. “Because the wins began to mount, the [team’s]confidence grew.”
Fortuitous defeat
This image will accompany a narrative that will probably be retold for years to return, one Tim Cone and the Philippine nationwide staff received to jot down within the Asian Video games. —AFP
Trying again, the staff’s 87-62 loss by the hands of Jordan within the preliminaries appeared fortuitous. That put the Philippines in opposition to China within the semifinals, as a substitute of in a possible showdown for the gold. The Nationals rallied from a 20-point deficit to frustrate the hosts, 77-76.
However for Cone, the reward of that loss to Jordan was one thing totally different.
“The setback to Jordan gave us a slap of actuality, but in addition gave us a renewed sense of goal. We knew we needed to get higher so we modified some issues up and the collective confidence once more began to take maintain and we used that every one the best way to the finals,” Cone stated.
That was certainly the case for a number of gamers exterior the regular Brownlee, Scottie Thompson and June Mar Fajardo. Kevin Alas hit well timed baskets that greased China’s collapse, whereas Ange Kouame and Chris Newsome stepped as much as assist minimize Jordan all the way down to measurement within the closing.
“The sport with China was epic and so was the efficiency of Justin. That one received us over the hump,” Cone stated.
In delivering the nation’s first Asian Video games in an extended whereas, Cone lastly soothed the heartbreak he suffered on the identical stage in 1998.
Your subscription couldn’t be saved. Please strive once more.
Your subscription has been profitable.
“I used to be so devastated in 1998 once we didn’t win. I used to be a younger coach, I put lots of strain on my shoulders and stuff,’’ stated Cone of the bronze-medal end of the squad dubbed the Centennial Workforce.
However extra importantly, the seasoned mentor received to do some “writing” on the aspect—with the assistance of his indefatigable dozen. They wrote historical past and wove an ideal story that this basketball-crazed nation’s followers will maintain retelling and will probably be pleased with after a seemingly infinite string of blowouts, shut shaves and heartbreaks.