Tim Cone faces tough wait as Scottie Thompson suffers ankle sprain late in Gilas win over Guam 

What was supposed to be a triumphant night for Gilas Pilipinas ended with a moment of tension as Scottie Thompson exited the game limping — and head coach Tim Cone could only hope it wasn’t as bad as it looked.

Thompson sustained a left ankle sprain with 7:08 remaining in Gilas’ 95–71 victory over Guam, the final assignment of Window 1 before players head back to their respective PBA teams. 

While the win capped a successful opening phase of the 2027 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers, Thompson’s injury cast an uneasy shadow over the celebration.

For Cone, who wears the dual hat of national team coach and Ginebra mentor, the concern goes beyond a routine injury report. Thompson is one of his most essential players in the PBA, and Ginebra is in the middle of a tight battle for playoff positioning.

“We don’t know,” Cone admitted when asked about the severity of the sprain. “That’s always the next day kind of injury. He definitely sprained his ankle, not a first degree. Maybe a second or third degree.”

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The timing gives Thompson a small cushion. Ginebra doesn’t play again until December 10 against Blackwater — a game with significant stakes as the Gin Kings sit at 3–4, tied for seventh with Meralco and needing every win they can claw out.

“We have until the 10th of December to get him ready to play,” Cone said. “Hopefully, he’ll be ready because that’s one guy we can’t lose at Ginebra obviously. But that’s just a sacrifice you make for playing for the national team.”

Injuries have been a recurring theme for Gilas in recent tournaments, with Cjay Perez and Calvin Oftana both suffering ankle issues during the FIBA Asia Cup 2025. Cone acknowledged the unavoidable nature of physical risk in international competition.

“Cjay went down and had a bad ankle sprain. Calvin got injured in the Asia Cup. It’s just part of it and you hope it doesn’t happen. But again, that’s the sacrifice you make playing for the national team because you’re going to be playing against physical guys and big bodies and there’s a good chance you might get hurt at some point,” Cone said.

For now, Gilas can breathe easy with a Window 1 sweep secured — but Ginebra fans will be holding theirs as they wait for updates on Thompson, a player crucial to both country and club. 

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