Group A offers Gilas best chance to advance

MANILA, Philippines - In what turned out to be a balanced draw, Gilas Pilipinas, as expected, decided to be with the lighter preliminary-round groupings, choosing the less dangerous path to the knockout stage of the 27th FIBA-Asia Championships slated Aug. 1-11 at the MOA Arena in Pasay and the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila.

Team Philippines chose to be with Jordan, Chinese Taipei and Saudi Arabia in Group A after which it is to face the top three teams from Group B composed of Japan, Qatar, Lebanon and Hong Kong.

Coach Chot Reyes, in deliberation with the assistant coaches with him in Lithuania and assistants present in the draw proceedings at the Manila Hotel, decided to be in Group A, avoiding early confrontations with traditional powers China, Iran and South Korea in this Asian joust serving as the regional qualifier for the 2014 FIBA-World  Cup.

The Nationals go through lighter prelims matches but play a tough game right away in the do-or-die stage either against China, Iran, South Korea and Kazakhstan.

China, Iran and South Korea, powerhouse teams with a combined 19 FIBA-Asia Championships won, were drawn with SEA II (qualifier from Southeast Asia) in Group C while Kazakhtan found itself with SEA I, India and Bahrain in Group D.

“We’re in constant touch with coach Chot (Reyes) and he wants us to be in Group A,” said Gilas assistant coach Norman Black in announcing Reyes’ decision to the applause of approval by Filipino cage leaders and followers present in the venue.

“Coach Chot felt it is where we have the best chance to be No. 1 or No. 2 going to the knockout stage,” Black said later.

Nash Racela, also a member of the Gilas coaching staff, said Reyes’ choice boiled down between Group A and Group D.

“Group D is the lightest first round group but then you face China, Iran and South Korea in the succeeding round. Baka madisgrasya at di tayo umabot sa quarterfinals,” said Racela.

FIBA-Asia secretary general Hagop Khajirian confirmed the host also has the privilege to choose its opening-day assignment. Once Gilas Pilipinas makes the choice, Khajirian said they will draw the complete schedule which could be ready for distribution by Monday.

The FIBA-Asia executive himself saw a good draw.

“We’ve had 10 competitive teams in the region in the last 10 years or so. They are all here. Nobody can guess who’ll reach the Final Eight,” he said.

But based on the teams’ performances in the recent years, it could well be Gilas Pilipinas, Jordan and Chinese Taipei (from Group A), Lebanon, Qatar and Japan (Group B), China, Iran and Korea (Group C), and Kazakhstan, India and a SEA team advancing to the second round of the prelims.

China, Korea, Iran and Kazakhstan look cinch to make it all the way to the quarters from their group. Advancing from the other bracket could well be the Philippines and three from among Lebanon, Qatar, Jordan, Japan and Chinese Taipei.

Curiously, the Philippines and Chinese Taipei, yet to settle a row stemming from the death of a Taiwanese fisherman on disputed waters, found themselves in the same bracket.

Khajirian, however, is confident the row won’t pose a problem in the Phl-Taipei match in the tourney. “FIBA’s motto is ‘Peace Through Basketball.’ We live by that principle. We’re not afraid our tournament won’t be a successful one,” he said.

The draw proceedings, helped done by Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas officials Oscar Moreno, Ricky Vargas, Sonny Barrios, Moying Martelino, Jay Adalem and some members of the 1973 ABC Philippine champion team, went very well.

“Our fate remains in our hands. No matter how our choice of group pans out, we just have to bring our A-game through all the phases of the tournament to be competitive,” said PBA commissioner Chito Salud.

The first team drawn was Jordan, followed by Chinese Taipei then Saudi Arabia. Curiously, all three teams went to Group A.

China and South Korea were then drawn to Group C followed by Japan, Qatar and Lebanon to Group B. Iran was the third team drawn to Group C then Kazakhstan, SEA I and India to Group D.