BY JONAS TERRADO
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel coach Tim Cone on Monday clarified that he was aware of the situation that eventually led to Greg Slaughter’s decision to take some time away from basketball.
“Contrary to some reports, I did know Greg was contemplating taking a break from basketball,” Cone said, reacting to his initial statement that he had no news of Slaughter’s decision which he revealed through his Instagram account Saturday night.
Cone said that he and Slaughter discussed the possibility during an exit interview that came after Ginebra’s five-game victory over Meralco in the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals last month.
The champion mentor also reiterated his desire to sit down with Slaughter in hopes of clearing the air.
“We discussed it during our exit meeting immediately following the championship, and I hope to discuss it further in the next couple of days,” Cone said.
The 7-foot center’s stunning decision came after the three-year contract he signed in 2016 expired at the conclusion of the championship series.
Cone acknowledged that Slaughter’s decision leaves a big hole in the Ginebra roster for the Philippine Cup which starts March 1.
Ginebra is being groomed as the strongest threat to San Miguel Beer’s bid to win an unprecedented sixth straight title in the PBA’s most important tournament.
“Obviously, his absence in the All-Filipino would be a big blow to the team and his teammates,” he said.
BIGGER ROLE
FOR RAVENA
Kiefer Ravena is taking a bigger approach this time after being named team captain of Gilas Pilipinas for the first window of the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers later this month.
Interim coach Mark Dickel said the leadership role fits well for Ravena, who despite being 26 years old has been a veteran of numerous international stints that included last year’s FIBA World Cup in China.
“I think it suits him,” Dickel said after Sunday’s practice at the Meralco Gym in Ortigas. “He’s talkative and he’s communicative. It’s his turn.”
“I feel like he’s more capable of taking that role and doing a great job with it. And I think for what we’re trying to build here with the culture that we’re trying to implement, we want everyone to be like that.
“But it’s gonna have to start with one guy, of course, so I got a lot of confidence with Kiefer. I think he can be a world-class point guard, so my job in this window is to try and start getting that out of him.”
While he has welcomed the captaincy role, the NLEX guard insisted that he’ll need the help of fellow PBA players who made the pool, particularly 37-year-old veteran Marc Pingris.
Pingris was a surprise addition to the pool, with Gilas program director Tab Baldwin saying that the Magnolia forward serves as bridge between past and present members of the national team.
Other PBA cagers on the pool are CJ Perez, RR Pogoy, Troy Rosario, Poy Erram and Justin Chua, who was named as replacement for Japeth Aguilar.
Ravena also felt that he’ll also serve as a bridge between the pros and the large group of amateurs who are candidates to suit up for the Feb. 20 home match against Thailand at the Smart Araneta Coliseum and the Feb. 23 road game with Indonesia in Jakarta.
“Feeling ko nandoon ako sa point na ako yung nasa gitna,” Ravena said. “Kaya ako, kahit papaano, one way or another nakalaban ko sila or naging kakampi ko so medyo gamay-gamay ko kung papaano sila kumilos, papaano sila maglaro at yung kakayahin nila.
