Gilas Pilipinas Men head coach Tim Coach and loyal stalwart Scottie Thompson after their 41-point win over Guam in the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers. Screengrab: FIBA Media
MANILA – Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone is counting on the home crowd support to follow up their massive 87-46 win over Guam in the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers on Friday.
The national team turns its attention to its second game against Guam in a four-day span, and Cone is relying on the Filipinos' cheers to inspire them and hopefully, go 2-0 in Group A.
READ: Gilas Pilipinas overwhelms Guam for triumphant start in FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers
They will battle Guam again on Monday at Ateneo de Manila University's Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City.
"That's the big thing about home-and-away [games]. You've got to follow it up," Cone underscored. "If you look at the score, we're gonna look at ourselves and have that opportunity to relax and not really come with it the second time around. They're [Guam] gonna come incredibly motivated, but hopefully, we have the home crowd that'll get us pumped up."
Cone believes this basketball-crazy nation will show up and fill up the Ateneo gym because Gilas doesn't play that often on home soil.
"We love our basketball back home, everybody knows. We're gonna have a big sellout whenever Gilas plays. We don't play at home very often. But when we do, everybody's excited to watch them," added the PBA's winningest tactician.
"We're hoping that will be the thing that could generate our excitement to come back and follow up this win."
Notably, their Guam affair on Friday didn't exactly feel like an away game, as this U.S. territory is known as home to a lot of Filipinos.
The Pinoy hoops fans who attended even cheered "Ginebra," instead of "Gilas," which netizens certainly took notice of.