Tim Cone defends Gilas triangle offense from critics
Published Aug 17, 2025 11:58 am
|
Updated Aug 17, 2025 01:13 pm
At A Glance
- Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone defended his triangle system after it became at the center of criticisms following the Nationals seventh place finish in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup.
Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone defended his use of the triangle offense after it drew heavy criticism following the Nationals’ seventh-place finish in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup.
Fans and basketball enthusiasts questioned the effectiveness of the system, which Cone has long utilized with his teams, including the national squad, arguing that it has become outdated in today’s modern style of play.
Cone said on Saturday, Aug. 16, that he acknowledged the criticisms but stood by the triangle, emphasizing that it’s a system he knows well and one that has brought him numerous championships throughout his coaching career.
“I know people are complaining and upset about our triangle system,” Cone said during the Power and Play program.
“And I just feel a couple of things. Number one, this is what I do best and what I’ve done throughout my whole career. So for me to go out and teach something that I don’t know doesn’t really make a lot of sense to me,“ he added.
The veteran mentor, however, understood that criticisms come with the territory and tend to resurface whenever the team is on the losing end.
“When we were beating Latvia, nobody said anything about the triangle. When we were beating New Zealand, when we won the Asian Games, nobody was saying anything about the triangle,“ said Cone.
“And now, people are beating up the triangle again. It just seems to be a fad to be able to do that,” he added.
Despite the fiery online backlash over Gilas’ lackluster performance, Cone said he makes it a point to read all the comments on social media. He even added that he takes note of the suggestions being shared.
“I read social media and I do it on purpose. I don’t mean to. I don’t like to do it. But I do it because I want to hear what people are saying, even though it’s difficult to read sometimes. But that’s the life pulse that I need to know,” Cone said.
“Some people have really good suggestions… I follow guys and I’m interested in what they say because I think it’s important to try to see what other people are saying.
“But it can be difficult sometimes, but you have to swallow some stuff. But that comes with the job. It’s a tough job. It’s a tough job mostly because it’s a critical position. But I’ll continue to do it,” Cone concluded.