Batang Gilas starts FIBA U-17 bid vs Angola

MANILA, Philippines – Batang Gilas Pilipinas, the country's national youth team, sets out to make the country proud anew as it takes on African champion Angola Friday at the start of the 2014 FIBA Under-17 World Championship in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The Jamike Jarin-coached team, which made it to the world stage after finishing second to powerhouse China in the FIBA-Asia Championship in Tehran, Iran last year, left the country a few days back and will battle the Angolans at 7:45 p.m. (Phl time).

The Phl drew Angola, Greece and basketball powerhouse US in Group A or what everybody considers as the "Group of Death."

After the Angolans, the Filipinos will tangle with the Greeks next at 10:45 p.m. tomorrow, take a break Saturday before resuming their campaign by battling the dreaded, highly touted Americans Sunday night at 10:45p.m.

Jarin has decided to bring in everyone who made the historic silver medal finish in the Tehran tilt possible including Jose Go IV of Hope Christian School, Michael Joseph and Joseph Matthew Nieto of Ateneo, Miguel Diego Dario of State U and Lorenzo Fernando Navarro of San Sebastian.

The other members of the team are Arnie Christian Padilla and Richard Escoto of Far Eastern U, Jose Lorenzo Mendoza of Ateneo, Mikel Emmanuel Panlilio of International School Manila, Louise Michael dela Cruz and Carlo Abadeza of La Salle-Greenhills, Andres Paul Desiderio of UP, Marc Norrish Decapia of San Beda, Mark Anthony Dyke of National U, Ricci Paolo Rivero of La Salle-Greenhills and Jaime Andres Zalamea of Northfield Mount Hermon School.

Jarin said they're coming in as underdogs.

"We're going in Dubai as underdogs but we don't mind because we're going there nothing to lose but everything to gain," Jarin told The STAR before he and the team left the country.

All teams have practically made it to the round-of-16 already since the number of participants is pegged at 16, practically rendering the group stages as positional battle for better spots and trying to avoid the stronger teams.

Meanwhile, the Phl Under-18 squad, a team also handled by Jarin, has drawn South Korea and Jordan in Group B of the 23rd FIBA-Asia Under-18 Championship set from Aug. 19 to 28 in Doha, Qatar.

The Filipinos, who will be backstopped by Kobe Paras of LA Cathedral and Ranbill Tongco of San Beda, drew a first day bye on Aug. 19 before taking on the Jordanians on Aug. 20 and South Koreans the next day.

The other brackets are China, India, Malaysia and host Qatar in Group A, Bahrain, Iran, Kazakhstan and Kuwait in Group C and Hong Kong, Iraq, Japan and Chinese Taipei in Group D.