RP opens Jones Cup bid vs Jordan

TAIPEI – Powerade-Team Pilipinas opens its bid in the 31st William Jones Cup campaign today against Jordan, the very squad that dashed the country’s hopes of a return stint to the Olympics two years ago.

Game time is set at 5 p.m. at the Hsinchuang gym following the opening matches pitting Lebanon against Taiwan-B at 1 p.m. and South Korea against Kazakhstan at 3 p.m.

A 30-minute inaugural ceremony is set at 7 p.m.

Led by point guard Rasheim Wright, who had 24 points, the Jordanians ended the Philippines’ bid to qualify for the 2008 Beijing Olympics following an 84-76 victory in the preliminary round of the 24th FIBA Asia Men’s Championship in Tokushima, Japan.

Though the Jones Cup, held in honor of the founding secretary-general of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), is nothing more than a top-caliber tune-up tournament for the the FIBA Asia World Championship qualifier in Tianjin, China next month, the games will nevertheless give the competing teams a chance to size up each other’s strength.

Facing Jordan in the opener is especially significant for the Nationals. – Nelson Beltran