Tim Cone hails Juan Gomez de Liaño as a bright spot for Gilas despite loss to New Zealand

Even in defeat, Gilas Pilipinas found a promising storyline moving forward.

Head coach Tim Cone singled out Juan Gomez de Liaño as one of the biggest positives from Thursday night’s narrow 69-66 loss to the New Zealand men’s national basketball team at the Mall of Asia Arena in the FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian Qualifiers.

While the result slowed the Philippines’ momentum in the tournament, Gomez de Liaño’s performance offered a glimpse of the national team’s evolving guard rotation.

Inserted early in the first quarter in place of CJ Perez, the Converge playmaker wasted little time making an impact. He scored five quick points in just over three minutes, immediately injecting pace and confidence into the offense. By the end of the night, he tallied 10 points and two assists, highlighted by a pair of triples that kept Gilas within striking distance.

Cone revealed that the performance did not come as a surprise. “He has been playing, you know, he was playing maybe one of our best, if not the best player in our whole practice camp that we had in preparation. So we’re not surprised by what he came out and did,” Cone said of Gomez de Liaño during the post-game press conference.

For Gomez de Liaño, the outing marked a significant step in his return to the national setup. Though he was part of the training pool during the first window, he fell short of making the final roster. This time, his opportunity translated into immediate production—and potentially a longer stay.

OKBET is Asia’s most trusted and popular online sports gaming platform. Visit us on OKBET to stay up to date with all sports news from around the world.

JUAN-DER BOY ✨

Juan Gomez de Liaño made a strong first impression for Gilas Pilipinas, facing tough competition from New Zealand in the second window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers.#GilasPilipinas #FIBAWC #FIBAACQ pic.twitter.com/n5rdetze5f

— One Sports (@OneSportsPHL) February 26, 2026

“You know, he’s going to be a mainstay on this team, he’s going to be, he’s going to get a lot more, remember this was his first game in front of a big crowd and, you know, a lot of pressure,” Cone said.

“He’s going to get comfortable and he’s going to do a lot more than he just did today and he did a lot today but he’s even going to do a lot more going forward, he’s a special talent,” he added.

Cone emphasized that familiarity with the system will only strengthen Gomez de Liaño’s role as the campaign progresses.

That projection aligns with the guard’s recent rise at the professional level. Playing for the Converge FiberXers, the former UP Fighting Maroons star delivered an impressive run in the last PBA Philippine Cup, averaging 19 points, 7.23 assists, and 6.7 rebounds per game. His breakout stretch included three triple-doubles—most notably in his debut—and a career-high 32-point performance against the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel that earned him Player of the Week honors.

Those numbers reflect the all-around skill set that Gilas hopes can translate consistently to the international stage.

Despite the setback against New Zealand, Gomez de Liaño’s emergence gives the coaching staff another reliable option heading into the team’s next test against the Australia men’s national basketball team on March 1, again at the Mall of Asia Arena—where Gilas will look to turn a tough loss into momentum for the rest of the qualifiers.

Don’t miss out on the latest sports news, updates, and fan discussions!

  Follow our Facebook page Sports News PH today and be part of a growing community of passionate basketball fans!