Gilas faces Taiwan in crucial Asiad tiff

GUANGZHOU – Smart Gilas Team Pilipinas, though expected to breeze past lowly India late last night, may still find itself in a must-win situation when it goes up against Chinese Taipei at the close of the preliminary round of the 16th Asian Games basketball competitions today.

“The Chinese Taipei game can be crucial,” said Smart Gilas coach Rajko Toroman, hoping they can hurdle the Taiwanese for a guaranteed entry into the quarterfinals.

“It won’t be if Qatar loses to Japan and Iran. If Qatar splits, then we have to beat Chinese Taipei to be at No. 3,” Toroman added.

Before yesterday’s game, Smart Gilas Phl was tied with Chinese Taipei at fourth in Group F with identical 1-2 win-loss records. Japan was the front-runner with a clean 3-0 slate while Iran and Qatar were joint second placers at 2-1.

It’s Chinese Taipei versus Iran and Japan against Qatar in last night’s other Group F games.

There are several possible scenarios. For Smart Gilas Phl, the ideal is to salvage at least third spot to avoid a quarterfinals pairing with host China.

The Chinese are tipped to finish on top in Group E with the Koreans likely to come in second. The two teams were to clash in a much-awaited showdown last night.

In the opener of the knockout stage, it will be Group E top team versus Group F fourth placer, B-2 against F-3, B-3 versus F-2 and B-4 against F-1.

The Nationals can salvage No. 2 spot if they can win their last two games, the Iranians lost their last two and the Qataris split.

In such case, Smart Gilas Phl may be paired with Jordan as opponent in the quarters. The Jordanians are playing here minus the stars of their team that made the last World Championship in Turkey.

Toroman, however, stressed they will focus only on things in their hands.

“We may have Korea as opponent in the quarterfinals. Maybe, it’s better to play them there,” Toroman said.

Toroman and his team are familiar with the Taiwanese, a run-and-gun team the Filipinos humbled in their own turf in Hsinchuang City in the last Jones Cup.

Smart Gilas Phl squandered a 13-point lead in the last three minutes of regulation but toughened up in overtime play in repulsing Chinese-Taipei, 96-93, in the Hsinchuang joust.

Marcus Douthit, however, was present then, coming through with 33 points and 22 rebounds.

The Taiwanese were clobbered in the rebounding battle then, but kept on fighting, drawing strength on their three-point shooting.

Chinese-Taipei also banked on a fluid-motion game and good shooting as it put up a tough stand versus Japan and Qatar, losing close games to both.