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| The SBP is reportedly retaining Tim Cone as Gilas head coach, while Richard Del Rosario will become the new national team manager. Dennis Acosta |
PASAY—Coach Tim Cone clarified on Sunday night that the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas has yet to contact him regarding the Gilas Pilipinas head coaching job amid a new report earlier in the day that the SBP has already chosen him to lead the national team once more.
"They haven't told me anything, so it's hard for me to comment. But literally, I did not get a call," Cone told reporters when asked to confirm the said report.
However, the PBA champion coach, who steered Gilas to the Asian Games gold last year in Hangzhou, China, said that he is looking forward to once again mentor the national team if the SBP indeed made the final choice.
"If they did choose me, I'm looking forward to doing it," Cone further said.
For now, though, the current Ginebra coach does not want to talk further about the Gilas job as he is still reeling from his team's elimination in the PBA Commissioner's Cup.
The San Miguel Beermen dethroned the Gin Kings as the import-spiced conference's champions through a 3-0 semifinal sweep capped by their 94-91 Game 3 win in front of 15,126 fans at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
"I know that we have talked about that, but I think that's just for another setting. At this point, I'm not ready to talk about that. Kinda down and upset at the moment, so I don't wanna talk about something that's outside of this game," Cone further said.
Cone is reportedly expected to be formally named the Gilas head coach for the February window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers on Monday with the pool also to be announced on the same day.
The report also said that Richard Del Rosario, one of Cone's assistant coaches at Ginebra, will be named Gilas team manager.
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