Ginebra starts grind early; Players excited to train under Cone
With two months before the season comes, the grind has already started for Ginebra.
Under the watch of coach Kirk Collier at CFC Gym, the Gin Kings have been undergoing various skills training focused on shooting and footwork days before the team’s official start of practices under new head coach Tim Cone.
The Kings, whose franchise hasn’t won a championship since 2008, hope that all of the hard work would bear fruit once the PBA season, which kicks off October 18, rolls on.
“We got to keep on grinding,” said Kings’ center Greg Slaughter.
The Kings will enter the new season full of promise under the tutelage of a multi-titled head coach such Cone, and the players are all excited.
“I’m more excited to learn from coach Tim. Everybody who coached says that he’s a teacher, not just on but off-the-court,” said guard Sol Mercado. “I want to learn and grow, be a better player and a better person under him.”
While Mercado knows that change won’t happen overnight, but he believes under Cone success would eventually come.
“I know coach Tim will do everything the right way. We have to go to his team system and buy in to what he believes. Eventually, the winning will come. It’s gonna take I don’t know how long, and we’re going to get our struggles with the triangle, but we’ll be very disciplined and well-coached.”
Slaughter, for his part, is confident that Ginebra will thrive under Cone’s new system.
“I think every one will prosper under his system. “When teams start winning, everyone thrives and I think with coach Tim coming in, our losing culture will finally turn around,” he said.
The 6-foot-11 big man personally hopes to fare better.
“I just want to be as prepared as possible. It’s a great opportunity for Ginebra that we’ll have the winningest coach coming on board. For myself, I want to be as prepared as I can, to do what coach Tim wants me to do.”
Ginebra is scheduled to formally open its training camp on Thursday.
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