Gilas in "Group of Hope" of FIBA Asia cagefest

FIBA (file photo)

By Ivan Saldajeno

CHANGSHA--Gilas Pilipinas could get an easy route to the second round of the FIBA Asia Championship as the team drew with relatively inferior opponents in Group B during the grouping on Saturday.

Gilas joins Palestine and Kuwait in the said group along with the eventual winner in the East Asia qualifiers. Either Hong Kong or Mongolia, featuring former Ginebra import Sanchir Tungalag, will complete the said group.

Palestine will be likely led by GlobalPort import Omar Krayem, while former PBA Rookie of the Year Rabeh Al-Hussaini is rumored to be making the Kuwaiti roster.

On the other hand, defending champion Iran were grouped with Japan and Malaysia in Group A. Completing the quartet will be the qualifier from South Asia, where Team India, led by NBA draftee Satnam Singh, is based.

Groups C and D comprise of tough Asian nations including host team China.

The Chinese squad will headline Group C with South Korea, Jordan, and Singapore, while Group D, tagged by many as the "group of death", has Chinese Taipei, Lebanon, Qatar, and Kazakhstan in it.

The top three teams after a single round robin Round 1 from both Groups A and B will comprise one second round group, while the other group in the next round will consist of the top three squads of Groups C and D.

The top four teams from each new group after the second round will slug it out in the knockout playoffs.

The FIBA Asia Championship will take place from Sept. 23 to Oct. 3, and the winner will automatically earn a seat in the 2016 Olympics.