FIBA-Asia QF no easy round for Gilas

MANILA, Philippines - Though it has steered clear of powerhouse teams China, Iran and South Korea in the second round of the upcoming FIBA Asia Championships, Gilas Pilipinas is still expected to encounter stiff resistance from the likes of Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar and Japan in the fight for quarterfinal berths.

These four teams are perennial medal contenders and could well give Team Philippines tough competition in their battle for the four Last 8 slots in their side of the bracket.

The Philippines, Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar and Japan essentially figure in a fight for the Top Two to avoid early do-or-die match-ups with China and Iran, which are tipped to top the other bracket.

Coach Chot Reyes would agree anyone from Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar and Japan is a tough contender.

Jordan was second placer to China in the last FIBA Asia Championship, Lebanon was first runner-up in three of the last six Asian meets while Japan was second placer to Iran in the last FIBA Asia Cup.

Qatar was third placer in the FIBA Asia Championship in 2003 and 2005, and conquered Gilas Pilipinas for the fight for bronze medal in the FIBA Asia Cup in Tokyo last year.

Gilas Pilipinas is likely to breeze through the first round of the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship versus Jordan, Chinese Taipei and Saudi Arabia. Then, Team Phl is likely to play Lebanon, Qatar and Japan in the second round.

Lebanon is always dangerous with its deep bench of good naturalized players.

“You’ll never know who will be their naturalized player. They have a lot to choose from. It’s so easy for them to process papers for their naturalized player,” said Reyes.

The Lebanese qualified in each of the last three world championships. With Joe Vogel as naturalized player, they finished dead last out of 16 participants in 2002 and 18th out of 24 in 2006. They were 18th in 2006 with Jackson Vroman in tow. Vroman would later play as import for Barangay Ginebra in the PBA.

In the 2012 Jones Cup, eventual winner Gilas Pilipinas suffered its lone defeat at the hands of the Jarrid Famous-powered Lebanese side, 91-72. A few weeks earlier, Famous suited up as Meralco import in the local pro league.

Lebanon’s main weapon, however, remains its do-it-all star in Fadi El-Khatib.

Qatar is another team that will always be a dangerous opponent with its tall, athletic players.

It has redeemed itself from its sad experience in the last FIBA Asia Championship as it finished third behind China and host Japan in the most recent FIBA Asia Cup. The Qataris capped their third-place performance with a 79-63 demolition of the Filipinos.

Naturalized player Trey Johnson, a 6-foot-5 guard who had stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Toronto Raptors, the LA Lakers and the New Orleans Hornets in the NBA, was a big key for the Qataris, mocking the defenses of Gabe Norwood and Jared Dillinger.

The Qataris pitched their own camp in Lithuania in preparation for the coming Asian meet serving as the continental qualifier for the 2014 World Cup in Spain.

Problems on legitimacy of most of their players beset Qatar’s Fiba Asia campaign in 2011 in Wuhan, China.

Japan is another threat with the team now on the third year of its program under American coach Thomas Wisman.

A two-time Asian joust champ, the Japanese team’s improvement was very much felt in its second-place finish in the Asia Cup.

Led by naturalized player JR Sakuragi (formerly JR Henderson, a 6-foot-8 center/forward who has played as import for Talk n Text in the PBA), the Japanese barely lost the gold-medal game to Iran, 53-51, on a clutch trey by Aren Davoudi.