Gilas Pilipinas has been thrusted into the very same challenges – injuries and short preparation times – it used to face ahead of the second window of the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers.

But head coach Tim Cone is unfazed and, in fact, even wants to see improvements from the Nationals’ performance from the first window of the qualifiers last February and in the Olympic Qualifying tournament last July.

The national team mentor’s confidence, despite the challenges, is leaning on the program which he, himself, drafted and focused on the cumulative growth of the squad.

“It’s always challenging but we keep talking about the continuity of the program and the preparation that we have is cumulative,” said Cone as Gilas was now left with only roughly around six days before the game against New Zealand.

“In other words, we've prepared with the first window we had at the beginning of the year. We've also prepared with the OQT that's been part of our preparation. Understanding the system of both offense and defense,” explained the veteran mentor.

The Nationals formally began their training camp at the Inspire Sports Academy in Laguna on Friday, Nov. 15.

Playing with the same crop of players all throughout the competitions this year, Cone is hoping to see improvements with the team’s performance particularly against New Zealand – a team that Gilas has never defeated through five meetings.

“The key that we want is to try to elevate our game every time we come into a new window. We want to be better from the first window to the second, from the second to the third and then the third going into next year,” said Cone.

“We want to continually elevate as we become more familiar with each other.  We have more practice time with each other. We have more video watching with each other and we have more game experience with each other. So  That's why the 15 the 14-man pool has stayed constant as much as possible because it is a short preparation time,” he added.

And that’s also exactly the reason why, despite being injured, both Jamie Malonzo and AJ Edu remained in the pool and actually joined the camp alongside reserves Mason Amos and Japeth Aguilar.

The same manner for Ange Kouame who was also part of the pool even as Cone expects Justin Brownlee to take the naturalized player spot in the two games.

“It’s a cumulative one and that's why it's important that we we keep the group together. That’s always going to be the challenge, the short prep times but it's not something we don't have to condition the players because they're already in good condition. It’s just really just about teaching and learning and getting the experience of playing with each other under the system,” stressed Cone.

Scottie Thompson, who missed the OQT, was also in attendance in the morning session along with Calvin Oftana, Chris Newsome, Dwight Ramos, June Mar Fajardo, CJ Perez, Kai Sotto, and Kevin Quiambao.

Cone facilitated the first day of practice alongside deputies Jong Uichico and Josh Reyes.