Coaches laud Gilas for win over Iranians

FORMER national men’s basketball team coaches Chot Reyes, Jong Uichico and Tim Cone lauded Smart Gilas-Pilipinas’ latest feat of beating two-time Fiba-Asia Men’s Basketball Championship titlist Iran, 73-59, in their opening game of the William Jones Cup tournament Saturday in Taipei.

“It’s a big one. The players now can believe that they can handle Iran. If they can win the Jones Cup, that would be a good test for them,” said Cone, coach of the RP Centennial Team that last won the Jones Cup tournament for the Philippines.

Cone said the level of play now is different then when only Korea and Japan were the teams to beat in 1998.

“Today is much tougher because you have emerging powerhouse squads from the Middle East playing and you have two-time Fiba- Asia champion Iran with its best player Hamed Haddadi in the line up and for Gilas to beat Iran with their best player in tow, is quite an achievement,” added the multi-titled Philippine Basketball Association mentor.

Reyes, who, like Cone is seeking the PBA’s latest version of Grand Slam after his Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters moved on the verge of winning the triple crown, was also amazed at Gilas’ performance.