CHANGSHA – With their stint in the finals, the Filipinos get the chance to secure Asia’s lone slot in the 2016 Rio Olympics. If they lose today, they will still have a chance to book a trip to Rio through the Olympic World Qualifier set July 4-10 next year.
Same is the case for Iran and Japan, the other losing semifinalists.
But the world qualifier will be a tougher route for the Filipinos who will be up against the losing semifinalists from Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia-Oceania.
Others punching tickets to the Olympic World Qualifier are France, Serbia, Greece, Italy and Czech Republic from FIBA Europe, New Zealand from Oceania, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico from America and Angola, Tunisia and Senegal from Africa.
These 18 teams will be divided into three groups, competing in three separate qualifying tourneys where the champions complete the 12-team cast for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Gaining automatic passage to the Olympics from the regional qualifiers are Australia, Spain, Lithuania, Venezuela, Argentina and Nigeria.
Brazil is qualified as a host country while the United States made it as winner of the 2014 FIBA World Cup.
All 18 world qualifiers are eligible to host one of the three Olympic qualifying tourneys.
If a qualifier is tapped as tournament host, the best non-qualified team from the particular FIBA zone will be invited to participate.
The qualifiers are among the best in the world.
France is the team with the highest world ranking at No. 5, followed by Serbia at No. 7, Greece at No. 10, Puerto Rico at No. 15, Angola at No. 16, Iran at No. 17, Mexico at No. 19, New Zealand at No. 21, Tunisia at No. 23, Canada at No. 25, and Senegal at No. 30.
The only teams below the Philippines’ No. 31 ranking are Italy (36th) and Czech Republic (49th).