Gilas hopes to avoid big guns in FIBA-Asia draw
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 05 Jun 2013
(MANILA) ? Avoiding an early clash with the big guns in the elimination round and escape early elimination will be the Philippines? target in the drawing of lots for the FIBA-Asia groupings the country is hosting Aug. 1-11.
FIBA Asia secretary-general Hagop Khajirian of Lebanon, along with Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president and Local Organizing Committee chair Manny V. Pangilinan, will preside over the proceedings at the Centennial Hall of the Manila Hotel.
The 16-team cast, representing Asia?s six zones -- defending champion China, South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and Chinese Taipei from East Asia; Kazakhstan from Central Asia; Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia from the Gulf; the Philippines and two other countries from Southeast Asia; Iran, Lebanon and Jordan from West Asia; and a nation from South Asia ? will be distributed equally into four groups will play in elimination round to determine which will advance into the quarterfinal round.
Hagop will pick from a box containing four small balls that will determine which teams will head each of the four groups. Another box containing 15 balls will come which countries will be playing in each group.
As host, the Philippines is given the privilege of choosing which group it will play, thus, avoiding it?s sad experience six yes ago when it was bracketed with China in what then coach Chot Reyes termed as the ?Group of Death.?
Reyes, will also steer the Philippine team this, will be calling from Lithuania where Gilas Pilipinas national pool is currently training to relay his choice. If failure in communications prevents him, assistant mentor Ryan Gregorio, Norman Black and Nash Racela have been tasked to pick the group for the RP team.
Highlight of tomorrow?s ceremonies is a special tribute to the members of the 1973 champion Philippine team led by surviving team manager Dante Silverio, assistant coach Caloy Loyzaga, team captain Jimmy Mariano and Robert Jaworski, Bogs Adornado, Ramon Fernandez, Francis Arnaiz, Ricardo Cleofas, Abet Guidaben, Yoyong Martires and Manny Paner and alternate Gregorio Dionisio and conditioning guru Juan Cutillas.
Head coach Tito Eduque, trainer Nilo Verona and players Rogelio Melencio, Alberto Reynoso, David Regullano and alternate Larry Mumar have all passed away.
The Philippines is expected to make full use of a luxury accorded host nations, with the first 12 slots filled before Gilas Pilipinas chooses its group with the 13th pick.
This system, it is believed, will avert the Philippines from experiencing the 2007 debacle when the Philippines fell into a lion?s den with Jordan, China en route to ending up ninth.
In 2009 in Tianjin under coach Yeng Guiao, the Philippines joined South Korea, Japan and Sri Lanka in Group A and advanced to the next round before falling to Jordan in the quarterfinals, 81-70.
The Nationals lost to Qatar in the battle for 5th place, 83-65, and bowed to South Korea, 82-80, in the match for 7th place.
Two years later in Wuhan, Serbian coach Rajko Toroman took full advantage of the Philippines? luck in the draw in the elimination by beating the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in Group D and joining China in the next round.
Finishing behind China but ahead of Japan, Jordan, Syria and UAE in the revised second round format, the Nationals moved to the quarterfinals where they mowed down Chinese-Taipei, 95-78.
But they ran into suddenly hot Jordan, vastly improved from the one they beat, 72-64, earlier, and got whacked, 75-61, in the semifinals, closing the door on their bid for a berth to the 2012 London Olympics.
The Philippines then lost to old nemesis South Korea, 70-68, and settled for 4th place, the country?s highest finish since 1987 when Japan took 3rd place over the RP team, 89-75, in the former Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC) Championship in Bangkok.
The top three teams in the tournament will earn passage to the world championship in Spain next year.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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