Gin Kings are moving on and regrouping after loss to Magnolia

AFTER getting dismantled by the Magnolia team of his pupil-turned-rival coach LA Tenorio, Barangay Ginebra mentor Tim Cone took it on the chin and quickly focused on improving his troops.

“Didn’t like the way we played — too many turnovers, not enough multiple efforts on defense. Didn’t execute tonight, didn’t play a very good game at all. You give credit to them. They were more prepared than we were. They looked sharper, looked better,” Mr. Cone admitted following the Gin Kings’ 73-80 loss in the kickoff game of the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup.

Moving on and regrouping are vital for Mr. Cone and Co. given the next opposition on their plate — TNT (Oct. 15), Meralco (Oct. 17), defending champion San Miguel (Oct. 26) and NLEX (Nov. 2).

“We’re not going to make that big of a deal of it because it’s just the first game and we have a long way to go. But we got a tough schedule to start this conference, five games against MVP and San Miguel teams. So we have to pick it up. We can’t play like this and expect to have a good record against those five teams, especially now starting 0-1,” he said.

The Manila Clasico gig got so much hype considering it was Mr. Tenorio’s head coaching debut and he faced his old maestro right away and even won in the end.

But Mr. Cone was quick to downplay.

“I’m happy for LA (Tenorio), sad for myself,” he told reporters.

“You guys are making a bigger deal out of it than either he and I are. We’re friends. It’s the same thing when I play against Chot Reyes (TNT), Jeff Cariaso (Blackwater), John-John Cardel (Titan), Willie Wilson (Phoenix) or Luigi Trillo (Meralco). They’re all my ex-players, ex-coaches. So, it’s the same.

“It’s much bigger for LA (Tenorio) than it was for me tonight. Put it that way. It was his first game. He’s going to remember it. I’m going to forget this one really quickly,” he added. — Olmin Leyba