WATCH: Tim Cone talks about Gilas Final 12 for 19th Asian Games

Back in the saddle as interim Gilas Pilipinas coach, Tim Cone is looking to assemble a ball movement and defense-centric crew for the coming Asian Games in China.

For Cone, that’s what would be needed if the Nationals want to hurdle the challenge of the powerhouses from the Middle East like Jordan and the East Asia like Japan, Korea and host China.

“We’re gonna be focused on ball movement. We’re going to make sure the ball moves; that’s going to be really crucial for us,” said the multi-titled Barangay Ginebra mentor, who previously steered the Philippine Centennial Team to the bronze in the Asiad 25 years ago.

“And we’re going to be very defensive-oriented. I think that’s going to be our edge in the Asian Games. We’re not going to try to outscore a team like Japan, which scored a lot in the World Cup but this team we’re building, we’re really looking for guys who are two-way players.

They can do some damage on the offense, but can also be great defenders, he added.

Unlike in his first Asiad duty in 1998 when he had the very best players at the time, Cone will have to solely rely on PBA players with Gilas mainstays from the Japan and Korean leagues unavailable.

World Cup vets June Mar Fajardo, Japeth Aguilar, Scottie Thompson and RR Pogoy and WC pool members Calvin Oftana and Chris Newsome tipped to form the nucleus with naturalized imports Justin Brownlee and Ange Koaume.