Gilas among top seeds in FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers draw

Gilas Pilipinas is among the top seeds in the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers. Rick Dela Cruz (file photo)
By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA—Gilas Pilipinas was named among the top seeds for the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers draw.

Gilas, ranked fourth among Asian countries in the recent FIBA world rankings, was placed in the first of eight pot for the said draw.

Pots 1-4 consist of teams representing the East Region, those coming from either the East Asian Basketball Association, the SEABA, or Oceania.

Top-seeded Australia and third-seeded China will join Gilas in Pool 1.

Meanwhile, the other top seed pot is Pot 5, consisting of Middle East powerhouses Iran (ranked fifth among Asians), Jordan (eighth), and Lebanon (ninth).

Aside from the Middle East nations, which comprise the Gulf Basketball Association and the West Asian Basketball Association, teams from the Central Asian Basketball Association and the South Asian Basketball Association will be part of the last four pots, representing the West Region.

The draw will take place on June 8 in Bengaluru.

Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno