Manila OQT winner bracketed with US

THE OLYMPIC basketball tournament teeming with NBA players unfurls on Aug. 6 with two six-team groups competing at Rio de Janeiro’s Arena Carioca 1.

After facing each other, only the top four teams in each pool proceed to the quarterfinals.

France—the favorite and eventual winner of the Fiba Olympic qualifying tournament held in Manila recently to provide home advantage for the gutsy but not ready for prime time Gilas Pilipinas team—is bracketed in Group A along with the United States, Australia, Serbia, China and Venezuela.

Group B features host Brazil, Spain, Lithuania, Argentina, Croatia and Nigeria.

US, Serbia and France emerged 1-2-3 in the 2014 Fiba World Cup. Spain (No. 2), Lithuania (3), Argentina (4), Brazil (9) and Croatia (12) are among the world’s top 12 teams.

Spain hopes the third time is the charm for the gold medal, having finished second to the US in the previous Summer Games in London and Beijing.

The US roster staying home due to the threat of the Zika virus and other personal reasons is better than the one competing in Rio. Imagine how formidable the team would be had NBA MVP Steph Curry, Finals MVP LeBron James, Blake Griffin, James Harden, Chris Paul, La Marcus Aldridge, Russell Westbrook and other future Hall of Famers decided to suit up for the Stars and Stripes.

Nevertheless, the second-tier squad remains the favorite to retain the championship in Rio. The team is composed of: Golden State’s Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green; New York’s Carmelo Anthony; Cleveland’s Kyrie Irving; Toronto’s Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan; Indiana’s Paul George; Dallas’ Harrison Barnes; Chicago’s Jimmy Butler; Sacramento’s DeMarcus Cousins and the Clippers’ DeAndre Jordan.

Anthony becomes the only US men’s star to play in four Olympics, and will be the most decorated men’s basketball Olympian ever if the US medals in Rio. He has a bronze from 2004 and golds in 2008 and 2012.

For the benefit of local NBA fans, some of the league’s foreign stars playing for flag and country in Brazil include Tony Parker, Nicolas Batum, Leandro Barbosa, Boris Diaw, Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova, Marc Gasol, Manu Ginobili, Ricky Rubio, Nene Hilario, Patti Mills, Luis Scola, Jonas Valanciunas and Anderson Varejao.

* * *

Sportswriter Abac Cordero, who dons a new hat in Rio as press officer of the PH Olympic delegation, came away impressed by President Duterte’s narrative about Philippine sports.

Cordero, present during the Chief Executive’s sendoff for the contingent in Malacañang last Monday, observed that behind the President’s veneer of toughness is “a soft heart for the Filipino athlete.”

“Here and there, he (the President) talks about how hard he would go after the bad guys,” said Cordero. “But then when he spoke in front of the athletes, he showed sincerity and concern …”

Cordero said Duterte told the athletes, “rest assured with the thought that in the coming days you will have my support” with more funding once delinquent taxes are collected.

In 30 minutes, Digong earned what the previous President could not in six years, “the respect of the Filipino national athlete,” according to Cordero.