Light grouping for Gilas after Fiba Asia tilt draw

The Philippines expectedly avoided what is regarded as the “Group of Death” in the Fiba Asia World Basketball Championship qualifying with regional powers Iran, China and South Korea ending up in one group after yesterday’s draw.

As host, the Philippines drew the company of Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Chinese-Taipei in Group A and could meet any of the three rock-solid squads, which were bunched in Group C, only in the Final Four.

Japan, Qatar, Lebanon and Hong Kong made it to Group B, while Kazakhstan, India and Bahrain composed Group D.

The fourth slots in Groups C and D will be filled up by the top two finishers in the Southeast Asian Basketball Association tournament to be played later this month.

Team Philippines could have opted to join Group D after the first three members of the first three groups were determined as early as the ninth pick.

But coach Chot Reyes, making the decision all the way from Lithuania where his Gilas-Pilipinas squad is on a two-week training stint, chose to join Group A, where the Filipinos have a chance to emerge as the top team.

The top three teams from each group advance to the second phase of the eliminations carrying their first-round records, with the Group A survivors joining the top three placers from Group B.

The top four teams from the combined groups (A and B, and C and D) advance to the knockout quarterfinals.

If the Filipinos top the second phase of the eliminations, which is relatively easy since the likely protagonists coming from Group B would be Japan, Lebanon and Qatar, the Filipinos would get the lightest quarterfinal-round assignment—the No. 4 seed—which is expected to be Kazakhstan.

“Joining Group A gives us the best chance of coming out 1 or 2 after the quarterfinals,” assistant PH team coach Norman Black said.

The drawing of lots was presided over by Fiba Asia secretary general Hagop Khajirian in the company of members of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas led by chair Oscar Moreno and vice chair Ricky Vargas.

Some members of the last PH team that won this tournament 40 years ago, including Ramon Fernandez and Manny Paner, were also feted with plaques of recognition.