Romwel Anzures

Gilas Pilipinas in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup against New Zealand. Photos from FIBA Basketball.

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ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1754714023661IMG_7964.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Gilas Pilipinas in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup against New Zealand. Photos from FIBA Basketball.Gilas Pilipinas in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup against New Zealand. Photos from FIBA Basketball."/>Gilas Pilipinas in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup against New Zealand. Photos from FIBA Basketball.MANILA — Gilas Pilipinas can’t afford to lose any more games in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup.</div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2025/8/7/fiba-gilas-in-must-win-mode-after-back-to-back-asia-cup-losses-0219">READ: Gilas in must-win mode after back-to-back Asia Cup losses</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2025/8/7/fiba-gilas-drops-2nd-straight-game-as-comeback-vs-new-zealand-falls-short-0058">GAME RECAP: Gilas drops 2nd straight game as comeback vs. New Zealand falls short</a></div>Just one more defeat moving forward will officially dash the Nationals’ hopes for a gold medal in the continental meet, after losses to Chinese Taipei and New Zealand earlier in the group stage.Up next for the Philippines is a showdown against world No. 92 Iraq in their last Group D assignment, and a victory will allow them to advance into the knockout playoffs stage.World rankings may be deceiving, however: Chinese-Taipei is ranked 73rd by FIBA -- 31 spots lower than Gilas Pilipinas. However, they have now beaten the Tim Cone-coached squad in back-to-back meetings.Among the many factors that led to the said losses to Taipei as well as New Zealand was how Gilas’ defense, or lack of, has been allowing their opponents to shoot the lights out especially from beyond the arc.Taipei made 12 of their 27 attempts against the Philippines from the said range on Wednesday (44.4%), and the Tall Blacks even made more early Friday, 13-of-26 (50%).But for Cone, while adjustments will obviously be key for the Philippines in their next assignments, what they need to have starting against Iraq is better mental toughness on defense.“I thought we did a much better job in the second half,” cited Cone, pointing to their improved performance against NZ wherein they almost came back from an 18-point deficit. “Those were just, to me, just more mental adjustments than anything else. It’s just something that we&#x27;ve got to continue to talk about and work.”To put things into perspective, New Zealand already was shooting 9-of-15 from three in their first-half encounter, and Gilas limited them to 4-of-11 shooting in the last 20 minutes of action.And according to Cone, maintaining this requires mental fortitude.“Hopefully, we can turn that around. We have to,” he emphasized. “Again, it&#x27;s all going to be about mental, getting loose balls, getting loose rebounds, and not allowing the extra possessions to get those three-point shots up.”

Gilas Pilipinas can’t afford to lose any more games in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup.

Gilas Pilipinas can’t afford to lose any more games in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup.

FIBA: Mental toughness key for Gilas to turn things around in Asia Cup, says Cone

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FIBA: Mental toughness key for Gilas to turn things around in Asia Cup, says Cone

Rom Anzures,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 09, 2025 12:43 PM PHT

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Tim Cone

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