First step to new FIBA format

MANILA, Philippines - Change is coming in the way FIBA will conduct qualifying tournaments for the World Cup and the Olympics as SBP deputy executive director for international affairs Butch Antonio explained the other day that the Philippines’ participation in the FIBA Asia Challenge in Tehran on Sept. 9-18 is vital in determining the sub-zone slots available for the FIBA Asia Cup next year.

The first five placers in the FIBA Asia Challenge will book tickets to the FIBA Asia Cup in September next year and depending on which sub-zones they represent, the qualified teams will open up additional slots for countries in their sub-zones. For instance, if the Philippines finishes in the top five in Tehran, it will mean another slot for Southeast Asia in the FIBA Asia Cup. The results of the FIBA Asia Cup will determine the groups and matchups in the six home-and-away windows in November 2017, February, June, September and November 2018 and February 2019 to qualify seven teams from Asia and Oceania for the 32-nation World Cup in China in September 2019.

Antonio said FIBA Asia head of national federations and sport Magesh Mageshwaran is due to visit Manila to conduct a workshop on the new FIBA competition system before the year ends. “Right now, Mr. Mageshwaran is going around different countries in Asia to explain the new format,” said Antonio. “The next FIBA Asia Cup will bring in countries from Oceania, particularly Australia and New Zealand so the competition will be at a higher level. The coming tournament in Tehran is the first step in involving Asia with the new system.” Since the FIBA home-and-away format will cut into the schedules of the PBA and nearly every other league in the country, the challenge before the SBP is how to be creative and innovative in participating in each window with a competitive national team.

In Tehran, the 12 participating teams are bracketed into four groups for the preliminary round. Group A is made up of China, Jordan and Kazakhstan. Group B is composed of the Philippines, India and Chinese-Taipei. Group C has Iran, Qatar and Iraq. Japan, South Korea and Thailand are in Group D. The top two finishers in each group advance to the quarterfinals then the four survivors clash in the semifinals with the two winners disputing the title in the final.

South Korea’s 24-man pool includes the 12 players who saw action at the FIBA Asia Championships in Changsha last year. Cho Sung Min, Moon Tae Young, Kim Tae Sul, Yang Dong Guen and Lee Jong Hyun are in the lineup with 7-3 Ha Seung Jin who played 46 games for the Portland Trail Blazers in 2004-05 and 2005-06 in the NBA. China’s cast lists no player in the Rio Olympics roster and includes Hu Jingin, Fu Hao, Li Jinglong, Cui Jinming, Chang Lin and Jia Cheng.

Antonio said Gilas head coach Josh Reyes will assemble a running team. “We lack height so we’ll focus on our quickness in executing the dribble-drive offense which Josh is a master of,” he said. “Josh teaches it with his eyes closed. In seven practices so far, he’s been going through the system with the guys. On the average, about 18 players show up for the practices. We can’t get everyone together at the moment because of the D-League playoffs. This is virtually a brand new team. It’s like when guys like Glenn Khobuntin were in the lineup for the first time. We’re just getting to know each other. But the guys are eager and quick to learn. Everyone’s committed to Gilas, especially the guys who’ve played with us before.”

Antonio declined to single out shoo-ins for the final 12-man roster from the pool of 24 submitted to FIBA Asia last week. “Guys who’ve played for the Gilas Cadets are at an advantage but Josh is giving everyone an opportunity to earn a spot,” he said. “I’m not even calling this a Cadets team anymore. For all intents and purposes, this has evolved into the elite Gilas program. We’re looking at this batch as the Gilas players who’ll represent the country in the next World Cup and Olympic qualifiers.”

Antonio said the PBA’s proposal to include Gilas in the coming draft on Oct. 30 is still to be discussed with the Cadets. The plan is for the PBA to hold a separate draft for Gilas with the stipulation that the players won’t be allowed to turn pro until they’ve been released by the SBP. In effect, only their rights will be assigned in the interim. No definite number of Cadets has been set although there are 14 likely to be named, including Mac Belo, Mike Tolomia, Roger Pogoy, Kevin Ferrer, Ed Daquioag, Russell Escoto, Von Pessumal, Bobby Ray Parks and Kiefer Ravena.

“We haven’t taken it up with the guys,” said Antonio. “Actually, it’s up to the guys if they want to be in the pool or not, if they want to be included in the PBA draft. We won’t stop anyone who decides to turn pro. It’s their decision to make.”

Antonio said former La Salle center Arnold Van Optsal will be joining the Gilas practice and may be in the pool for the special PBA draft. “We haven’t spoken with Arnold directly but we’ve talked about the possibility of playing for Gilas with his mother (Luz) and his handlers Matt Manotoc and Marvin Espiritu,” he said. “We understand he’s abroad at the moment but he’s due back any day. We’re told he’s been keeping in shape and he wants to play for the national team. He’ll be a big help to us.”