Gilas umiwas sa ‘Group of Death’ sa FIBA-Asia qualifier

MANILA, Philippines - Kagaya ng dapat asahan, iniwasan ng Pilipinas ang pagkakabilang sa ‘Group of Death’ sa darating na 27th FIBA Asia Championship na nakatakda sa Agosto 1-11 at ilalaro sa SM Mall of Asia Arena sa Pasay City at sa Ninoy Aquino Stadium sa Malate, Manila.

Mula sa Lithuania, ini­utos ni Gilas Pilipinas II head coach Chot Reyes kina assistant coaches Norman Black at Nash Racela na isama ang koponan sa Group A na kinabibilangan ng Jordan, Chinese-Taipei at Saudi Arabia.

Kasalukuyang nasa Lithuania ang Gilas II ni Reyes para sa isang two-week training camp bilang paghahanda sa 2013 FIBA-Asia Men’s Championships na siyang qualifying meet patungo sa 2014 FIBA World sa Madrid, Spain.

“Group D is probably the weakest in the group, but at the end of the day, you still face, China,  South, Korea and Iran on the other side,” wika ni Black matapos ang draw kahapon sa Centennial Hall ng Manila Hotel.

“So coach Chot feels we have a good chance of coming out of the second round at No. 1 or No. 2. At least that would be the goal,” wika ni Black.

Nasa Group D ang Kazakhstan, India, Bahrain at ang magkakampeon sa South East Asian Basketball Association championships, habang kasama ng nagdedepensang China sa Group C ang Iran, Korea at runner-up sa SEABA.

“Good draw. All d players/staff were involved in d process. Choice was unanimous,” sabi naman ni Reyes sa kanyang Twitter account.

Ang Group B ay binu­buo ng Lebanon, Japan, Qatar at Hong Kong.

Ang draw ay pina­ngunahan nina FIBA Asia secretary-general Hagop Khajirian ng Lebanon, Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas chairman Oscar Moreno, vice chairman Ricky Vargas at executive director Sonny Barrios.

Nagkampeon ang bansa sa FIBA-Asia Men’s Championships noong 19­73 sa likod nina team manager Dante Silverio, assistant coach Caloy Loy­zaga, team captain Jimmy Mariano, Ramon Fernandez at Robert Jaworski.