Gilas draws tough Thailand in SEAG Group A

MANILA, Philippines - Gilas Cadets drew Thailand, team that gave them a scare in the semis last time, and two other rivals as groupmates in the coming Southeast Asian Games men’s basketball hostilities in Kuala Lumpur.

The Pinoy cagers, winners of the SEAG gold 17 times in 18 editions, lead Group A with Thailand, host Malaysia and minnows Myanmar in next month’s competition.

The Thais proved a tough customer for the Gilas Cadets (then known as Sinag Pilipinas) two years ago in their Last-4 duel in Singapore, leading by 10 at halftime before the Filipinos restored order and escaped the blushes, 70-65, behind the clutch triple of Kiefer Ravena.

Malaysia owns the distinction of being the only other country to win men’s basketball, achieving the feat in 1989 on home soil with an upset of the Philippines, while Myanmar hopes to gain experience playing against the big boys of the region.

Indonesia, which was runner-up in the 2015 SEAG and the recent SEABA meet in Manila, banners Group B with 2015 bronze medalist Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos.

Aside from basketball, the official draws for football, volleyball, water polo, table tennis, sepak takraw and cricket were held yesterday ahead of the Aug. 19-30 Games.

The Phl U-22 booters found themselves in a tough road to a medal as they got bunched in Group B with three of the semifinalists in the 2015 edition – defending champion Thailand, bronze medalist Vietnam and fourth-placer Indonesia, along with Cambodia and Timor Leste.

Both the Phl men’s and women’s volleyball squads avoided holders Thailand in their respective groups.

The Pinoy spikers, though, have Vietnam and Indonesia, the 2015 silver medalist and bronze winner, respectively, as company in Group B along with Timor Leste.

The Alyssa Valdez and Mika Reyes-led volleybelles, for their part, are in Group B with host Malaysia and Vietnam, the second-placer in the Singapore edition.

In the men’s team event of table tennis, the Filipino paddlers got Singapore, Malaysia, Laos and Myanmar as bracketmates in Group A, while the female bets are in Group Y with Thailand, Malaysia and Myanmar.