Gilas sets in motion Team Philippines' Asiad campaign

MANILA, Philippines — Two days ahead of the opening ceremonies, the Philippine quintet starts the campaign of the 272-strong Phl team at the 18th Asian Games as the Nationals take on Team Kazakhstan in the opener of Group D play in men’s basketball competition at the GBK Basketball Hall in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The Nationals square off with the Kazakhs in a virtual knockout setto where coach Yeng Guiao will have to make do with 11 PBA players as Fil-Am NBA player Jordan Clarkson isn’t expected to arrive in the Indonesian capital in time for the crucial match.

But just the clearance the Cleveland Cavaliers guard got from the Olympic Council of Asia, the Indonesian Asian Games Organizing Committee and the NBA is enough to boost the confidence of the entire Philippine delegation competing in 31 sports disciplines in the 45-nation continental conclave.

“It’s final. The NBA gave one-time exception for this Asian Games for Clarkson and two players from China,” said Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio.

However, even the earliest flight available won’t make Clarkson available for the Phl-Kazakhstan match at 10 a.m.

But at least, the Cleveland Cavaliers guard will be on hand as Team Phl’s flag-bearer during opening ceremonies at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium Saturday. He will finally don the country’s colors as Team Phl clashes with China on Aug. 21.

Guiao vowed they would make do with what they have to get the country to a winning start in the meet. At his disposal for the Kazakh game are Rain or Shine players Gabe Norwood, James Yap, Maverick Ahanmisi, Chris Tiu, Beau Belga and Raymond Almanzan, San Miguel Beer’s Christian Standhardinger, NLEX’s Asi Taulava, North Port’s Stanley Pringle, Blackwater’s Poy Erram and Magnolia’s Paul Lee.

A heavy volume of Filipino bets is in transit as the Phl 5 plunges into action in the Jakarta Games where around 10,000 athletes will slug it out in 465 events in 40 sports.

The gymnasts and the netters were to depart Manila yesterday to be followed by athletes in taekwondo, wushu, golf, shooting, wrestling, swimming, women’s softball and fencing today.

Flying out on the eve of the opening rites are the 15-strong bowling team, heading for Palembang, the capital of South Sumatra province which hosts bowling, tennis, soft tennis, women’s football, rowing, triathlon, sepak takraw, sports climbing, beach volleyball, shooting and roller sports.

Jakarta is the main venue while the provinces of Banten and West Java also serve as satellite venues.

The Gelora Bung Karno Sports Stadium hosts 13 sports, with the Athletes Village built at the nearby Kemayoran area, featuring 7,424 apartments in 10 towers with a total accommodation capacity of 22,272. Meanwhile, the Athletes Sport City in Palembang will house 3,000 athletes and officials.

Olympic silver medal winner Hidilyn Diaz leads the weightlifting team that, along with the cycling squad and jet ski riders Billy Joseph Ang and Marco Rafael Lee, flies to Jakarta on Sunday.

Diaz, the boxing team, the Filipino jins, jiujitsu specialists Meggie Ochoa and Annie Ramirez, gymnast Carlos Edriel Yulo and Filipino dragonboat paddlers could well be the country’s best bets for a podium finish.

China is expected to continue its dominance, with South Korea and Japan to slug it out for second place in the medal race. In 2014 in Incheon, Korea, China emerged the runaway winner with 151 gold medals against Korea’s 79 and Japan’s 47.

BMX rider Daniel Caluag delivered a lone gold for Team Phl that also took home three silvers (courtesy of wushu artists Daniel Parantac and Jean Claude Saclag, and boxer Charly Suarez) and 11 bronzes (through wushu artist Francisco Solis, archer Paul Marton dela Cruz, taekwondo jins Levita Ronna Ilao, Samuel Morrison, Mary Anjelay Pelaez, Benjamin Keith Sembrano and Kirstie Elaine Alora, boxers Mark Anthony Barriga, Mario Fernandez and Wilfredo Lopez, and karateka Mae Soriano).