By REYNALD MAGALLON
A young, agile big man for Gilas Pilipinas.
National team head coach Tim Cone believed Quentin Millora-Brown is exactly what doctor has ordered for Gilas as his 6-foot-10 frame certainly would be a big boost for a team that is missing badly the service of 7-foot-3 center Kai Sotto.
The veteran mentor could help but rave at the potential of pairing Millora-Brown with current twin towers AJ Edu and June Mar Fajardo, eventually Sotto in what could be the tallest national team lineup ever.
“You get a talented athletic young 6-foot-10, 6-foot-11 player who still has years in him. He will be a 6-foot-10 KQ in terms of how he means to the program,” said Cone who is liking the addition of QMB to that of Quiambao who came in the program brimming with potential and now slowly emerging as one of the team’s important players.
“Bringing in a big guy like that is basically exactly what the doctor ordered. AJ and June Mar were out there pretty much on their own (in the Asia Cup),” he added during the Power and Play Program by Kom Noli Eala on Saturday, Aug. 16.
Gilas played with a depleted frontline in the FIBA Asia and that was repeatedly exploited by the opposing teams especially with the Nationals having not much flexibility to adjust on the fly.
Cone even asked Japeth Aguilar to unretire from national team duty and provide the additional size for the Asia Cup – something that wouldn’t be anymore a problem with the addition of Millora-Brown to the pool.
Cone said he was just as excited as everyone in having Millora-Brown to the lineup, especially with the prospect of him playing within the triangle and providing the defensive presence.
“As much as we had this team put together, we have not had Kai and AJ on the team at the same time. We even haven’t had a practice with them together and now we get the opportunity to have that in the future and you add QMB into that. That’s something we can really work off,” said Cone.
“I’m excited about it. I think he works tremendously well on our triangle system. I think he’s really gonna enjoy playing that position in our triangle,” he added.
National team head coach Tim Cone believed Quentin Millora-Brown is exactly what doctor has ordered for Gilas as his 6-foot-10 frame certainly would be a big boost for a team that is badly missing the services of 7-foot-3 center Kai Sotto.
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas finally got the confirmation from FIBA regarding the reclassification of the 6-foot-10 center’s status with the national team late Friday night.
“We’re pleased with the update from FIBA because a player of his size and skill can make a positive impact for Gilas Pilipinas Men,” SBP president Al Panlilio said in a statement.
The camp of Millora-Brown was the first to announce the development after his lawyers successfully proved to FIBA that he acquired his Philippine passport before turning 16 years-old – a rule that has barred many Fil-foreign players from suiting up to the national team as a local.
