A TOUGHER road lies ahead for Gilas Pilipinas in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup after absorbing a tough loss to Chinese Taipei on Wednesday. Still, head coach Tim Cone remains confident in the team’s ability to turn things around.

The national team’s bid for gold suffered a major setback after falling to a retooled Taiwanese squad, who are likewise determined to prove they deserve a spot among basketball’s global contenders.

With a 0-1 record to start the tournament, the journey toward a historic campaign has become more difficult and uncertain, especially with a demanding lineup of opponents ahead. Still, the team is determined to regroup and fight their way forward.

So, What Went Wrong?

Gilas head coach Tim Cone pointed to the team’s reaction to Taipei’s explosive start as a key factor in the loss, saying the players responded with too much aggression, which led to a costly number of unnecessary fouls.

“We were playing from our heels, we were trying to rush back into the game. Disappointed with the way we played, and it looked like we were in panic mode,” PBA’s winningest tactician said.

Aside from Taipei’s impressive shooting display, the key reason they dominated the game was the 26 fouls committed by the Philippines, which Taipei capitalized on by sinking 27 of their 35 free throw attempts.

When asked about how this impacted the team’s performance, Cone promptly noted that the players seemed unsettled, likely due to the pressure of having such a high-stakes match as their tournament opener.

“We just wanted it too badly. And that’s why we gave up so many freethrows, and that’s really uncharacteristic of us. I think we just wanted it too badly and we let our enthusiasm get ahead of our execution,” the tactician told Carlo Pamintuan in an interview.

A Tall Assignment

Nevertheless, the only way forward for Cone and his squad is to let go of the negative thoughts about their underwhelming performance and shift their focus to what’s next: New Zealand.

“We didn’t play well, we didn’t coach well. They shot lights out, they deserve the game. And we got to own that, and understand that, and then we got to put it away and move on to New Zealand,” Cone said.

“I think, you know, that’s what we’re trying to do. I think the guys so far looks like… we’re gonna play better,” he went on to explain, just after concluding preparations for the Tall Blacks.

While it’s certainly difficult to move on from a loss like that—particularly against a team they’ve long had the upper hand over—Cone understands that putting it behind them is essential if they want to come out stronger in the next game.

“First of all, I got to do it for myself. I’m probably the most devastated guy in the room, and I take losses really hard. You’d think I’ll be able to handle one better after all these years of coaching, but the national team’s a whole different thing,” he said.

“When you don’t rise up to expectations, it’s very painful, very hurtful, and it’s hard to get over it. But the bottomline is if I do that, or we do that, we’re just making it worse for ourselves going into the next game.”

“We got to own that game. Problem is, when you play a good team like New Zealand, you might play your best game, and still or may not be enough, but I’m very very confident that we’re gonna play better,” he assured.

Gilas Pilipinas is well aware of what it takes to overcome New Zealand, but the Kiwis are currently playing on an entirely different level. The two teams will renew their rivalry tonight at 11:00 p.m., as the Nationals look to keep their campaign alive.