Barangay Ginebra coach Tim Cone
Special Report by Juan Karlo Libunao
Cone shares winning culture that leads to championships
The winningest coach in the history of the Philippine Basketball Association has entered the Finals once again and will try to win his 26th title while leading Ginebra to the Promised Land.
In an exclusive interview with Scoreline.ph, Coach Tim Cone shared how he established a winning culture to every team that he handled.
"I think it really comes down to trying to establish a culture. You know, trying to get a feel for how players feel when they come into the room. You know, do they feel like it's a hard working place? Do they feel like they can come in and withstand failure if they fail or whatever? But we just try to create a culture in which, you know, players can grow," said Cone.
The multi-champion mentor also shared that if the players feel like they're growing and getting better every day, then a coach can elevate his team to different levels and hopes that will lead their team to a championship.
And handling the Ginebra squad that he has right now, Cone believes that they are a culture-based team that pays attention to details and defense.
"You know, we really want to be attentive to details. I think we're number one, we're defensive minded. We have a defensive mindset that comes, that's priority number one."
Cone also said that there are four things that they wanted to focus on — attention to details, defensive mindset, being empathetic, and being accountable to what you do.
"We want to be attentive to detail. We want to be empathetic to our teammates. In other words, we want, you know, we want to care about our teammates, care about the success of your teammate. And we want to make sure that everybody has accountability."
Defense wins championships.
The statement is what coach Tim also believed in ever since he started coaching. He already brought that belief when he entered the league in 1989.
"It defines your character," said Cone about defense. "You don't get any glory for defense. You get glory for offense, for scoring. The crowd goes ooh and ah when you score. But now everybody makes mention of the defense. So if you give yourself to the defense, that shows your character, that you're giving yourself to the team. And so we believe that if we're constantly doing that, then we're going to be a really good team. And we're going to have a chance to win championships. So yes, defense does win championships."
Finals rematch against TNT.
Now that Coach Tim is in the Finals against TNT once more, he said that the Tropang Giga will be a tough nut to crack especially that his counterpart coach Chot Reyes knows him very well and the matchups will be intriguing especially the battle between two great imports.
It will also be a contrasting style of play for both teams as Ginebra plays more of a triangle-offense while TNT runs through the dribble, drive, and flow. With that being said, Cone believes that will be really a treat for the fans.
Asked if the series might be long, coach Tim said that they always plan for a long series but there's no guarantee that it will be a long one.
"You figure that because the teams are even, it should go six or seven games, but there's never any guarantee that it's going to happen. Sometimes a team can get on a roll during a series and put a couple of games together and put the pressure on the other team. But I think from a coaching standpoint, you always plan it to be a long series."
Justin Brownlee as an import.
Cone has so much praise for his prized import. He said that JB is a nice guy and such a great teammate, humble, quiet, and loved by his teammates. But there's a deep part of the Gilas naturalized player that is really competitive and always likes to win.
Brownlee not just makes himself better but also his teammates. As coach Tim said, he thinks Justin loves to win to see his teammates happy.
"I don't think he really ever plays for himself. He plays for his teammates to see them happy. I think that's such a unique skill and one of the reasons he's truly the best or if not the best, one of the best."
Cone even asks the people to enjoy the contributions of Brownlee in the world of basketball as he is nearing the tail-end of his career.
"He's tapering towards the end of his career right now. So those young people who get to see him now, you may not get to see him four or five years from now. So take advantage of what you're seeing. It's almost like watching Michael Jordan live. I used to watch Michael Jordan live. That was an amazing thing. Now the young people can only think about Michael Jordan but they ever saw him play. But now's your opportunity. You can go out and see Justin. So my message is to take advantage of that now. Go watch Justin play. And against R.H.J., that's going to be a classic matchup," Cone in complementing his import.
Finals and championships might be familiar words to coach Tim Cone already but he keeps on learning the game he loves that is why winning culture is just second to none to the most decorated mentor in PBA history.
Game 1 of the Finals will be on Sunday, October 27, at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
News
The Alas Pilipinas Boys made quick work of Hong Kong-China, 25-18, 28-26, 25-13, in the 9th-12th classification round of the 2026 Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Boys’ U18 Volleyball Championship on Friday night at the Wuyuan River Gymnasium in Haikou, China.
The Philippines will face Indonesia today in the battle for ninth place. A victory would give Alas Pilipinas its highest finish in the tournament since making its debut in 1997.
After taking the opening set, 25-18, the Filipinos faced a tougher challenge in the second frame as Hong Kong-China battled back and forced a 26-all deadlock.
Elijah Guzman stepped up in crunch time, hammering down back-to-back kills to give the Philippines a commanding two-set advantage.
Alas then dominated the third set, with Al-Raquib Dais and Terrence Marticion attacking from all angles to power the team to a convincing 25-13 victory.
Dais, who erupted for a tournament-high 25 points in the team’s win over Australia, once again led the scoring with 15 points built on 12 attacks and three blocks. Marticion chipped in 14 points, while Guzman added six markers, including the two crucial points that sealed the second set.
Lik Chun Lau paced Hong Kong-China with 16 points.
Meanwhile, Japan and Iran will clash for the championship on Saturday, while Chinese Taipei and host China will battle for the bronze medal.
The Alas Pilipinas Boys defeated Australia, 25-20, 30-28, 25-20, in the classification round of the 2026 Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Boys' U18 Volleyball Championship on Thursday night at the Wuyuan River Gymnasium in Haikou, China.
The Philippines boosted its chances of securing a best-ever ninth-place finish in the tournament—an improvement from its 11th-place finish in the 2024 edition held in Bahrain.
The national team had to work hard throughout the match, especially in the second set, which was tied six times as Al-Raquib Dais traded kills with Australia's Eddie Kerwin.
After Alex Liang committed a costly service error, Dais pounded a strong crosscourt kill to secure the set for Alas, 30-28.
Australia was plagued by errors in the third frame as Dais continued his hot streak, allowing Alas to close out the match with a 25-20 victory.
They gave away 25 points through unforced errors, while the Philippines committed only 14.
The 16-year-old Dais finished with 25 points built on 21 attacks, three blocks, and one ace, while Terrence Marticion added 11 points.
Australia was led by King's 12-point output and Liang's 11-point performance, but it was not enough to earn a victory.
The Philippines will face either Kazakhstan or Hong Kong in the 9th-12th place classification semifinals.
In an unstoppable performance, the UST Junior Golden Tigresses claimed the top spot in the 2026 Shakey’s Super League Junior National Invitationals after sweeping fellow unbeaten St. John’s Institute in straight sets, 25-17, 25-23, to complete the elimination round with a perfect record.
The Golden Tigresses advanced to the semifinals as the tournament's No.1 seed following their latest triumph.
Anneli Manzanillo was named the MVP of the Match award after playing a key role in their victory. She finished with 8 points, highlighted by 4 attacks and 4 blocks in a dominant performance at the net.
The unbeaten campaign marked UST's first-ever perfect elimination round since 2023, when the Junior Golden Tigresses went on to capture the bronze medal in the tournament.
Meanwhile, Angeline Poyos was named Best Outside Hitter, while Bernadett Pepito earned the Best Libero award.
UST will await its semifinal opponent, while St. John’s dropped to a 4-1 record. The squad is scheduled to face Pacific Volleyball Academy (PVA) in its final preliminary-round match.
Gilas Pilipinas Boys beats Japan, 19-14, in the 2026 FIBA 3x3 Nations League Asia 2 finals in the Stop 3 final on Wednesday at Hextar World Empire City in Malaysia.
The Philippines secured their title triumph through strong teamwork, efficient offensive scoring, and control of the game's tempo. Gilas built an 18-10 cushion behind timely baskets and maintained its composure to close out the championship match, showcasing the depth that fueled its unbeaten Stop 3 run.
Cabs Cabonilas emerged as the Player of the Game after he contributed seven points in the final. The Gilas standout also played a crucial role throughout Stop 3, which he tallied 11 points against New Zealand and 10 more against Singapore to spearhead the Philippines' title-winning campaign.
Japan tried to keep the team within striking distance throughout the final and helped the squad stay competitive despite facing a double-digit deficit.
Despite their resilience, the team struggled to match the Philippines' scoring pace in the closing stages. Unable to contain Gilas Pilipinas' balanced attack, they found it difficult to generate consistent offense.
With the victory, Gilas moved into a tie with Belarus atop the conference standings with 240 points apiece, and will return to action in Stop 4 on Friday against New Zealand and Malaysia.
Cambodia stunned Alas Pilipinas in five sets, 25-23, 28-30, 25-20, 22-25, 15-8, to open its SEA V Cup campaign on a high note Wednesday at the Candon City Arena and deal the host nation an early setback in the tournament.
Despite the loss, newcomer Joshua Magalaman delivered an impressive performance for the Philippines, finishing with 21 points built on 15 attacks, four blocks, and two aces.
Jude Garcia also shone for Alas Pilipinas with 20 points on 18 attacks, one block, and one ace, providing a steady offensive presence throughout the match.
The Philippines struggled to maintain its momentum in crucial stretches, particularly in the deciding fifth set where Cambodia pulled away. Alas also committed untimely errors and failed to contain Cambodia’s attack, allowing the visitors to dictate the pace when it mattered most.
Cambodia, meanwhile, capitalized on its opportunities through efficient attacking and resilient defense. The Cambodians remained composed during extended rallies and key moments, showcasing the confidence that helped them secure one of the biggest wins in their recent history.
Veasna Voeum emerged as the Player of the Game after erupting for 33 points on 28 attacks, three blocks, and two aces to lead Cambodia’s breakthrough victory.
Cambodia is set to face reigning AVC Men's Cup champ Indonesia today, July 16, before taking on the home team on Friday. Alas is also on the verge of a must-win situation on the tournament against Indonesia.
