Gilas youth battles Taipei in classification play

MANILA, Philippines — After a quarterfinal exit, Gilas Pilipinas U18 shoots for the next best thing when it takes on Chinese Taipei anew in a classification match of the FIBA U18 Asian Championship today at the Azadi Basketball Hall in Tehran, Iran.

Gilas and Taipei clash in a rematch at 2:45 p.m. (Manila time) with the Phl side out to replicate its big win during the group phase. The Philippine youth then drubbed Chinese Taipei, 84-73, to complete a 3-0 sweep in Group C.

The Filipino youth, however, hit the end of the road at the start of the knockout playoffs, missing a ticket to the FIBA U19 World Cup following a 99-83 loss to Lebanon.

Led by Mason Amos, the Gilas boys hope to repeat against Chinese Taipei to get a shot at fifth spot versus the winner in the Qatar-Iran setto.

Meanwhile, Lebanon is up against Japan in the semifinals where the other matchup pits fierce rivals China and South Korea.

Japan clobbered Chinese Taipei, 76-60; China drubbed Qatar, 88-44; while South Korea escaped past host Iran, 66-65, in the quarters.

Lebanon, Japan, China and South Korea have all punched their tickets to the U19 World Cup with a Final Four stint in the return of the Asian youth tilt after a long hiatus due to the pandemic.

Gilas, then led by Kai Sotto, made the last FIBA U19 World Cup in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic after a semifinal finish in the same continental competition in 2018.