Cone focused on preparing Ginebra than facing Star in debut

MANILA, Philippines — With Typhoon Lando forcing the PBA to suspend the league’s opening on Sunday, coach Tim Cone’s debut for Barangay Ginebra will fall this coming weekend against his former team Star Hotshots.

But Cone isn’t paying much attention to the hype that will surround his debut game against Star, the team he led to five league titles, including the Grand Slam championship in the 2014 season.

Instead, the American is focusing on building on the team’s progress over the last one and half months in his patented triangle offense.

“We have a lot more preparation time here. And you know, the team is built differently because we have two, big, super talented players to build your team around,” Cone told Philstar.com, referring to the Kings’ “Twin Towers” Greg Slaughter and Japeth Aguilar.

Cone’s highly-anticipated debut was originally set this Wednesday against the Meralco Bolts.

But with league commissioner Chito Narvasa moving the opening ceremonies and the lone opening match between Star and Rain or Shine on Wednesday, Cone and the Kings will have to wait till this coming Sunday where they are scheduled to face the Hotshots.

Cone believes the Hotshots remain competitive under rookie coach Jason Webb, his former understudy. 

But with veterans James Yap, Peter June Simon, Marc Pingris, Mark Barroca and Alex Mallari leading the charge, Ginebra can expect rough sailing, especially with Star already transitioning to an up-tempo style of game.

But for Cone, he intends to maximize the size they have at front court, hoping he could draw the best out of Slaughter and the athletic Aguilar.

“The triangle we have right now is the triangle, but it’s adjusted to the personnel,” explained the 57-year-old coach.

“It’s (triangle offense) adjusted to the fact that we have two of the three most dominant players in the league so we have to take advantage of those guys, just like San Miguel is taking advantage of June Mar Fajardo,” he said.

“We have to play to our strengths.”

The Kings only played three games in the preseason, whipping the visiting Jordan national side, 94-85 and San Miguel, 92-81.

Ginebra’s lone loss was an 82-85 loss to GlobalPort two weeks ago.