(NI VT ROMANO)

SA halip na makilahok sa opening ceremonies ng 30th Southeast Asian Games, minabuti ni Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone na mag-ensayo na lamang ang koponan.

Ang kakulangan sa ensayo ang dahilan ni Cone sa paghingi ng permiso na huwag nang dumalo sa opening ceremonies sa Philippine Arena sa Bocaue, Bulacan.

Binubuo ng PBA players ang Philippine men’s basketball team, na nabawasan pa ng isang miyembro matapos magtamo ng back injury si Roger Pogoy.

“All the athletes in the games have had a year or more to prepare for this tournament, for the SEA Games, and we basically have a week,” lahad ni Cone. “And we cannot afford to have less time off our practice.”

“We made a request not to join the opening so we could do a two-a-day practice. I believe it’s been granted,” dagdag niya.

Ayon kay Cone, babawi na lang aniya ang Gilas Pilipinas sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay-suporta sa laban ng ibang atletang Pinoy, partikular sa Disyembre 5 at 8 kung saan walang iskedyul ang basketball team.

“We wanna be part of the games. We don’t wanna be in our own tournament. We wanna be part of the games,” wika ni Cone, na siya ring head coach ng Brgy. Ginebra sa PBA.

“We wanna go out and find some athletes to support. We have to find out all the logistics for it, but the fifth and the eighth are the days in which we can go out and support the other athletes,” aniya pa. “Be a presence, and cheer for them.”

Kaugnay nito, nilinaw ni Cone na ang mga laban na nasa malapit lamang sa Mall of Asia ang kanilang mapupuntahan, dahil masyado na ring malayo ang New Clark City (Subic).

Lalaruin ang men’s basketball games sa Mall of Asia Arena, habang sa PICC Forum ang boxing, sa Rizal Memorial Coliseum ang gymnastics at ang billiards naman ay gaganapin sa Manila Hotel Tent.

“We can go check out Rizal or whatever’s happening around (Mall of Asia). I think that’s important for these guys to show their support for the other athletes,” pahayag pa ni Cone. “We don’t wanna sit up on our perch and pretend we’re different from everybody else.”