Next up for Nats is China

HANGZHOU – Coach Tim Cone will definitely lose sleep trying to figure out how to play reigning Asian Games champion China in the semifinals Wednesday night here.

The winner advances to the final and will be guaranteed of at least the silver medal while the loser falls into the battle for third – and the bronze.

Cone said he’s almost blind heading to the 8 p.m. match at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium.

“I don’t know,” was his reply to the question thrown at him by The STAR, “How about China?”

While Gilas faced and defeated China in the FIBA World Cup in Manila last month, it was coach Chot Reyes who held the reins, and Cone one of his assistants.

The American mentor said Gilas had been in tough games here in Hangzhou, one after the other, that he and his assistants, including LA Tenorio and Richard del Rosario, had no time at all to scout the Chinese.

“I haven’t spent a lot of time on China yet.

But now we turn our attention to China,” he said after Gilas pulled off a nail-biting 84-83 win over Iran in the quarterfinals Tuesday.

“Honestly I haven’t even watched them play in this tournament yet. So, I have to watch the video and the coaching staff will form a game plan within 24 hours. I’m not even sure what time our game is tomorrow does everybody know?” he said.

Told that their game against China is set at 8 p.m., Cone felt some relief – if there’s any at all.

“Then luckily that gives us a little more time,” he said, admitting that he’s been deprived of a good sleep in this campaign to bring him the country’s first medal in men’s basketball since 1998.

“No. I’m not sleeping well while I’m here

All tough opponents, all tough teams and nothing is easy,” he said.

It was Cone himself who steered the Filipinos to the bronze 25 years ago. The Philippines wound up fifth in 2018 with a team bannered by NBA star Jordan Clarkson and handled by now Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao.

“The last time I played China was in the semis (of 1998) but it’s a whole new ballgame. That was 25 years ago, different teams, different people,” added Cone.

He expects China to follow the blueprint drawn by Iran, which held Justin Brownlee scoreless in the first nine minutes of the