MANILA, Philippines - Coach Tim Cone didn’t feel so bad with their terrible, losing start, believing the Barangay Ginebra Kings will eventually get their act together and contend for the crown.
Cone apologized to the Ginebra fans for their 78-86 loss to the Star Hotshots Sunday and promised to make them proud at the end of the tourney.
“We will get better. We will be there at the end. We will make you proud,” said Cone on his Twitter account the morning after the loss.
Cone was extremely happy with the Ginebra throng in his first game with the team.
“It was awesome to hear your voices,” said Cone of the predominant Ginebra fans in the crowd of nearly 17,000 that watched the Ginebra-Star setto.
The Star Hotshots, however, came out well prepared and humbled the Gin Kings in their first game under the twice grandslam-winning American tactician.
“We were totally outcoached and outplayed. My apologies to the great Ginebra kingdom of fans,” said Cone.
The Hotshots pummeled the Gin Kings, 37-13, in the opening quarter, led by as many as 31 at 44-13 and cruised safely through to hand Jason Webb his first win as a coach.
“It was one of those games where I totally got outcoached,” said Cone, praising his protégé for a good job.
Webb and the Stars had a built-in advantage, knowing well the coaching system of their former head coach.
Cone said they would’ve not chosen the Star Hotshots as their first assignment in the season if he had his way.
“What we’ve been doing for two months, they’ve been doing for four years. They knew us, the things that would disrupt us, and the things that would give us problems in terms of our execution,” noted Cone.
Cone, however, has been in the league for so long that he knows one loss is not a big deal.
“I’m sure the fans don’t want to hear about this and maybe I shouldn’t say this, but in the big scheme of things, who cares? It’s just one game,” he said.
“We don’t have to be good right now,” he added. “We have to be good come playoff time. We will get better and hopefully we become good at the right time,” he added.
Cone sees a bright future with his team featuring Greg Slaughter, Japeth Aguilar, Mark Caguioa, LA Tenorio, Sol Mercado, Jayjay Helterbrand and promising rookie Scottie Thompson.