By REY C. LACHICA
HANGZHOU, China – The pain is now totally healed as far as Gilas coach Tim Cone is concerned.
In the grandest game of them all, the Nationals put together a masterful job on both ends and pulled off a gripping 70-60 win over Jordan to win the gold medal that mattered most for the basketball-craze nation Friday, Oct. 6, in the 19th Asian Games at the Hangzhou Olympic Stadium here.
For that, Cone finally the buried the sad memory of not winning the gold the first time he handled the PH team during the 1998 edition in Bangkok.
“It’s good to feel good about it,” he said moments after the Nationals clinched their first gold medal since 1962.
In the Bangkok edition, the Nationals absorbed an 82-73 beating at the hands of the Chinese in the semis.
“I was so devastated in 1998 when we didn’t win it. But being able to come this time 25 years later and going up and down a few times in the wringer, I thought I can handle it a lot better this time.”
Kenneth Duremdes and Johnny Abarrientos, two of the best players Cone handled while still coaching Alaska in the PBA even sent messages of good luck to their beloved mentor prior to their crucial semis match with China.
That helped a lot as it gave Cone the extra zest to slay the ghost of 1998.
So for now, the multi-titled and well respected mentor can now sit and relax a bit before another PBA conference opens shop next season.
The mission was accomplished.
“Pinangako namin ni coach Tim na ibalik namin ang ginto sa Pilipinas, nagawa natin,” beamed San Miguel Corp. Sports Director and Gilas team manager Alfrancis Chua atter the team’s historic win before thousands of unbeliever home fans.
