Tim Cone on possibility of new Ginebra players Abarrientos, Go suiting up for Gilas

Veteran coach Tim Cone has just gotten two stars who could be potent additions not only to Barangay Ginebra's PBA campaign, but possibly also to the Gilas Pilipinas program.

Ginebra secured the rights to Isaac Go and Stephen Holt in a trade that send Christian Standhardinger and Stanley Pringle to Terrafirma, but there was another part of the deal that made them even tougher.

The transaction saw Ginebra getting the Dyip's third overall pick in the PBA Rookie Draft held on Sunday, and Cone used that golden ticket to get the services of RJ Abarrientos.

Now that the two prospects are under his tutelage, could the seasoned tactician also tap them to join his program at the national team?

Cone did not commit to it, but stressed that Gilas Pilipinas will stick to its original 12-man roster with two alternates awaiting the call in case of injuries or personal reasons.

"That's a long way away right now. And again, he's a young guy. He could be, three or four years from now and you know what the team's gonna be," Cone said of the young Abarrientos.

"But I keep emphasizing: Anytime you put somebody in on a team, you bring RJ in, you take somebody off."

Abarrientos has proven to be an effective playmaker, leading Far Eastern University in his lone UAAP stint in Season 84.

He then brought his act overseas after joining the Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus in the Korean Basketball League, where he would eventually cop the Rookie of the Year award.

The 24-year-old guard is also suiting up for the Strong Group Athletics team in the Jones Cup.

"RJ might be a different example because he'll be practicing with us and he'll know about the Ginebra system which we're using in the Nationals and Gilas, so he might be an exception," Cone said.

"That's one of the reasons why Japeth was the guy who stepped in for us aside from his size and athleticism — he knew our system really well," Cone said.

The 6-foot-7 Go, according to Cone, might be a little short for the international standard where big men like Kai Sotto and June Mar Fajardo have been representing Gilas recently.

"Isaac Go is a big man at 6-foot-7 in the PBA. But he's not a big man on the world stage. I mean, you can't take his level and take him to Europe and make him play 6-10, 6-11 guys there. He's gonna be overwhelmed. He's just not big enough," Cone said of the incoming Ginebra star.

"If you bring a 6-6 guy and make him play center, he ain't gonna be able to do it on the World Stage. If Isaac can learn how to play the wing or maybe play a small forward with his size and body, he may be able to play on the world stage."

—JMB, GMA Integrated News