Converge rookie guard Juan Gomez de Liano admitted that his first stab at playing for Gilas Pilipinas under coach Tim Cone remains a work in progress.
The left-handed freshman out of the University of the Philippines was included by Cone in the final 12 players that will be seeing action against New Zealand on Thursday night at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
“I think the biggest difference this time is comfort and familiarity,” the 6-foot-1 guard told the Manila Times.
“During the first window, everything felt new - the system, the terminology, the pace. Now, I feel more settled. I’m starting to understand Coach Tim’s concepts and philosophy better, especially the reads and spacing in his system. It’s still a learning process, but I’m definitely more confident compared to the first time.”
Gomez De Liano is making his Philippine team comeback since he last played in the 2023 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers.
A lot has changed since then, though one thing sure, the 26-year-old playmaker brings in steady playmaking and outside shooting for the national team that is out to keep its record perfect in the qualifiers.
The No. 2 overall pick in last year’s PBA draft, said he is picking up a lot from Cone since being included to the Gilas Pilipinas pool last November.
“It’s really an honor. Coach Tim has accomplished so much in Philippine basketball, so just being around him every day is already a learning experience,” said Gomez De Liano.
“You understand why he’s the winningest coach - the attention to detail, the discipline, and the culture he builds,” he added.
Gomez De Liano will be playing alongside experienced Gilas Pilipinas players Dwight Ramos, Scottie Thompson and CJ Perez, but the Converge rookie said he’s willing to anything for the national team.
“My mindset is just to compete and contribute in any way I can. We have a really talented guard group, so every practice is high level. I’m focused on doing the little things such as defense, communication, making the right reads - whatever the team needs,” he said.
“I believe the future is very bright. The veterans bring experience and leadership, especially in international competition, while the younger guys bring energy and hunger. If we keep building chemistry, I believe Gilas can be competitive for a long time.”