Gilas wary of Asian rivals with Olympic berth also up for grabs at FIBA World Cup

MANILA, Philippines – With an outright ticket to the Paris Olympics at stake, Gilas Pilipinas is also on the lookout for expected Asian rivals outside its group in the coming FIBA Basketball World Cup on August 25 to September 10 here.

Gilas is bunched in Group A with world No. 10 Italy, No. 23 Dominican Republic and No. 41 Angola for the World Cup pool play but is also wary of Asian counterparts in other groups led by No. 22 Iran, No. 27 China, No. 33 Japan, No. 36 Jordan and No. 43 Lebanon. 

Only the best Asian finishers from the 32-team World Cup will gain an automatic berth to the Paris Summer Games next year, making it a must for the 40th-ranked Gilas to perform strong as early in the group stage.

“Malakas talaga (sila). All of our Asian competitors are upgrading so we have to keep up,” said Gilas head coach and program director Chot Reyes, who will be banking on Gilas’ very own reinforcement in NBA ace Jordan Clarkson of the Utah Jazz.

Last week, China secured the services of American forward Kyle Anderson of the Minnesota Timberwolves for its World Cup campaign. He now has a Chinese name of Li Kaier after obtaining Chinese citizenship.

Jordan, for its part, is in the process of naturalizing NBA veteran and PBA’s Best Import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson while Japan will have ace player Yuta Watanabe of the Phoenix Suns. Iran is to be led by ex-NBA center Hamed Haddadi.

Then there’s Lebanon, the Asia Cup runner-up, with MVP Wael Arakji at the helm.

A Gilas qualification in the second round would definitely boost its Olympic dream.

Otherwise, its fate would depend in the classification matches where Asian teams are tipped to rumble like in the 2019 edition.

No Asian team made it to the second round in the last World Cup with Iran finishing at No. 23 to snatch the Olympic seat from host China, which settled for No. 24 in the final standings.

Gilas finished at the bottom of 2019 World Cup but is out this time to clinch an Olympic slot for the first time since 1972 behind the unrivaled support of Filipino fans.