MORE than the games, it's the daily grind in practice which Tim Cone misses the most as the PBA enters the second month of its stalled season following the outbreak of the coronavirus.
Cone said going to Barangay Ginebra practices had been a daily routine for him that understandably, it was the first thing that he yearned for once the Enhanced Community Quarantine was imposed.
"The thing I missed the most is practice. I miss being in practice. I miss seeing the guys and being around and planning for practice," said the champion coach.
"It's a real addiction to basketball. And that's what I missed most of all."
The ECQ has been extended until May 15, but given that Metro Manila is put under General Community Quarantine (GCQ), there is still no guarantee the season will resume since sports-related mass gathering such as games, tournaments, trainings, and championships are still prohibited under such conditions.
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Cone understands the situation.
"We all know basketball is one of the hardest to start because it's so much interaction with the players," he said.
For the long time now, the Kings, according to Cone, are taking care of themselves individually by trying to do fitness programs in their respective homes just to stay in shape.
Barangay Ginebra's team of strength and conditioning coaches are sending the players programs to follow from time to time.
"We're trying to do things that they can do at home, under the guidelines of our trainors, sending programs to the players so that they can find ways to workout," said Cone.
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"Our main thrust is to keep everybody healthy and to make sure they continue to follow guidelines, do the social distancing which is part of their responsibility."
As for him, Cone also works out at home on his own together with his son by doing some backyard shooting every day.
That's when he unleashed the coach in him while in practice.
"I get to coach my son every day. We go spend half an hour every day with a little basketball court, a really small one with a court so that he can shoot," said Cone
"So that I can have my coaching step out and put it on myself." (RG)
