Tim Cone Calls Juan Gomez de Liaño a 'Special Talent' — Says He'll Be a Gilas Pilipinas Mainstay

Juan Gomez de Liaño may have come off the bench against New Zealand Thursday night, pero he left the MOA Arena floor looking like a future Gilas Pilipinas cornerstone. Head coach Tim Cone had nothing but praise for the national team returnee after his 10-point, 2-assist performance in Gilas' heartbreaking 69-66 loss.

'He was playing, maybe one of our best, if not the best player in our whole practice camp,' Cone revealed. 'So we're not surprised by what he came out and did.' That's high praise from a coach known for being selective with his compliments — and even higher when you consider the caliber of players in the Gilas pool.

Cone made it clear that GDL isn't just a temporary call-up. 'He's going to be a mainstay on this team,' the coach declared. 'Remember, this was his first game in front of a big crowd, with a lot of pressure. He's going to get comfortable, and he's going to do a lot more than he did today. And he did a lot today.'

The 25-year-old isn't new to international play — he suited up for Gilas in the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers and the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers three years ago. But this latest stint feels different. With Tim Cone now at the helm and a more structured system in place, GDL looks like he's found his role.

With Australia coming up on Sunday, Gilas needs all the firepower they can get. If GDL can build on his impressive debut under Cone — and the coach clearly expects him to — Filipino basketball fans have a lot to be excited about. 'He's a special talent,' Cone said simply. 'Nuff said.

Source: GMA News