Fresh eyes: Tim Cone attends Gilas practice to help out Chot Reyes

The relationship of Tim Cone and Chot Reyes goes a long way back.

Reyes served as Cone’s top assistant during the American coach’s early years at Alaska. Cone also tapped Reyes as his chief deputy when he coached the 1998 Philippine Centennial Team.

Cone returned the favor in 2007, helping Reyes out when it was the latter’s turn to coach the national team.

So with Reyes back at the helm of the Philippine squad, it came as no surprise to see the San Mig Coffee coach attending national team practice late Thursday night.

This is even though Cone is not officially part of the SMART-Gilas Pilipinas coaching staff.

“I told him I will be here for a couple of practices to give him ‘fresh eyes,’” Cone told InterAKTV in an exclusive interview.

Gilas is in the midst of its final buildup for the FIBA Asia Championship set August 1 to 11 in Manila. The team aims to finish in the top three of the competition for a ticket to the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain.

“I think that’s a management term. Companies hire people to come in and go over the books, the procedure and stuff, just to give a different point of view.

“At times, you’re locked in what they’re doing every day, and someone comes in fresh and may see something you don’t see, something you don’t see everyday.”

“That’s why I’m coming in giving him ‘fresh eyes,’ just going over what they do and giving him some insights on how I see it. He can throw it in a garbage or think about it.”

Cone said he will share his insights about the team and put them in black-and-white for the benefit of Reyes.

“I will write a report and e-mail that report to him, giving my ideas,” he said.