Cone, Gilas face youth-laden NZ at FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers

GILAS Pilipinas will be up against a New Zealand rival parading a mix of experience and youth under the new system of debuting coach Judd Flavell in Thursday’s FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers (ACQ) matchup at the MOA Arena.

Mr. Flavell, who succeeded Pero Cameron at the helm last month, called back Corey Webster, Izayah Le’afa, former Converge import Tom Vodanovich, Tyrell Harrison, Sam Mennenga and Flynn Cameron from the NZ crew in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Greece and 2023 FIBA World Cup campaigners Taylor Britt, Hyrum Harris and Walter Brown for his core.

Mr. Flavell added Kaia Isaac, 21, and 17-year-old Oscar Goodman, fresh from his All Star 5 showing at the recent FIBA U17 World Cup, to his pool.

“This is an exciting group, a young group playing at a high level for their Australian clubs. Look at Tyrell, Sam Mennenga, Sam Waardenburg, Flynn, Izayah, Max Darling, Hyrum — all in the early to mid-20s and all playing vital roles at very good clubs in a very good league that is gaining worldwide attention,” Mr. Flavell said on the Basketball New Zealand website.

“Add that experience of Corey, Tom and Taylor — and the chance to integrate the energy and excitement of the younger players in Walter, Kaia and Oscar and I think we have a fantastic blend in this group and for these two testing games.”

Mr. Flavell, a member of the legendary NZ team that placed fourth in the 2002 FIBA World Championship who shifted to coaching and won four NBL titles, will have his baptism of fire on the road against Tim Cone and the Nationals.

“Their system’s going to change a little bit,” Mr. Cone said. “They’re bringing over a little different personnel than they have from the past years and they’re a little different from the World Cup that the team that came over here in 2023 so they might be a little bit more difficult to prepare for.”

While NZ and Mr. Flavell are on their first rodeo, it would be the third window for Mr. Cone and his Justin Brownlee-led group after the opening window of the ACQ last February and the FIBA OQT last July in Latvia.

“They’ll know us a little bit better because they’ve seen us in the OQT. They’ve seen us in some of our windows already. In that regard, they’re going to have a little bit of an advantage. (But) we have had that continuity over this year, and that might bode us well, too.”

Mr. Cone and Co. are out to snap the Philippines’ four-game losing streak against the Tall Blacks, which started in the 2016 OQT that was played in the same venue. — Olmin Leyba