Gilas Pilipinas Basketball

Gilas Pilipinas will have a daunting task in the upcoming 2019 FIBA World Cup in China which tips off on Saturday, August 31 as they are bracketed alongside Serbia, Italy, and Angola in Group D of the first round.

Men’s national basketball team head coach Yeng Guiao has already expressed his thoughts regarding the grouping, saying it would be imperative for Gilas to beat Italy and Angola to advance to the second round and have a shot at the quarter-finals.

“We cannot take Angola for granted. Even if we win against Italy, but we lose to Angola, useless ang lahat. As soon as we are done with Italy, tsaka lang naman pag-aaralan or magfo-focus doon,” Guiao shared.

It will be no easy task for the Philippines given that Serbia, the no. 3-ranked squad in the world, is a given superpower and is among the favorites to win the gold medal. Italy, meanwhile, is ranked 13 in the FIBA rankings and is flanked by an NBA-level talent in Danilo Gallinari.

“If we are successful against Italy, we have to beat Angola to make the next round. If you don’t, walang kwenta yung panalo mo sa Italy. We are not taking it for granted,” Guiao added.

But even if Gilas falters early, the squad still has a shot at — believe it or not — the 2020 Tokyo Olympics should they end up as the highest-ranked Asian team by the end of the consolation stages.

Because of the tournament format changes following the FIBA calendar revamp earlier in the decade, the World Cup serves as a direct qualifier for the Olympics next year instead of the usual continental championships played a year before the Olympics.

The seven highest-ranked countries according to region (two from the Americas, two from Europe, and one each from Africa, Asia, and Oceania) will automatically receive slots to the Olympics.

That means if the Philippines finishes higher than any of its Asian counterparts in the international meet, they will have an elusive direct ticket to Tokyo next year.

“Iniisip namin yun kasi, just in case, though it’s unlikely, but just in case yung China, hindi rin makapasok ng next round, then we have to compete for the best place in Asia. Baka makalusot tayo sa Olympics,” Guiao stressed. “That’s also in the back of our minds.”

The four remaining spots out of the 12 available for the prestigious Olympics will be up for grabs within the next few months, which shall be decided using four Olympic Qualifying Tournaments.

The next 16 best-placed teams by the end of this World Cup will have guaranteed slots in the OQTs.

Guiao, though, recognizes that host nation China is in a weaker group compared to them and may end up being the highest-placed Asian side.

“As of now, we have very little control of that because tingin ko, advantage na yung China doon sa best finish dahil magaang ang grupo nila. But it is still an objective worth pursuing,” Guiao added.

China is in Group A with Ivory Coast, Venezuela, and Poland.

Still, the nationals are focused on the goal at hand which is to try and win as much games as possible first, as repercussions are big for the team.

Gilas faces Italy on Saturday, August 31 to open their 2019 World Cup bid.

By Levi Verora, Jr.