AS IT turned out, beating the already-eliminated Kazakhstan tonight at the Saryaka Velodome in Astana, Kazakhstan is not enough for Gilas Pilipinas to advance to the 2019 FIBA World Cup this August.
As they play in their final FIBA World Cup qualification match, the Gilas also needs to pray that Jordan and Lebanon and Japan as well to drop their matches to earn a World Cup qualification.
The Gilas are currently at fourth place in Group F with 6-5 win-loss slate, behind Australia (10-1), Japan (7-4) and Iran (7-4). Those under the national team were Kazakhstan (4-7) and Qatar (2-9).
In Group G, meanwhile, New Zealand is ahead of the pack with 10-1 win-loss slate, followed by South Korea (8-2), Jordan (6-5), Lebanon (6-5), China (6-5) and already-out Syria (2-8).
Under the qualifier format, the top-three teams from Groups F and G along with the best fourth placed team will qualify to the World Cup later this year in China. China is automatically in the World Cup for being the host country.
Things became complicated for the Gilas Pilipinas following China’s stunning 62-86 defeat to Jordan and Lebanon’s close 67-69 defeat at the hands of Group G leader New Zealand.
With the current situation, the national men’s basketball team must win over Kazakhstan tonight and pray that Lebanon and Jordan both suffer defeats to South Korea and New Zealand tonight.
In that scenario, both Jordan and Lebanon will drop to 6-6 win-loss card and the Gilas Pilipinas will clinch the seventh and final World Cup qualification in Asia for being the best fourth placed team at 7-5.
If ever Philippines loses to Kazakhstan and Jordan and Lebanon also dropped their matches, Gilas will be out of World Cup and Lebanon and Jordan will left to contest for the best fourth placed team.
If ever Philippines, Jordan and Lebanon ended up with the same win-loss record, Lebanon will have the highest point differential at +99 followed by Jordan’s +80. Gilas is only +17 leaving it out of contention.
Another scenario is Gilas, Japan and Iran all ending up with 7-5 win-loss slate if Philippines beats Kazakhstan and Japan and Iran both drop their games against Qatar and Australia, respectively. In that event, Japan will occupy the no. 2 spot, Philippines the no. 3 and Iran at no. 4.
However, Philippines will stay at no. 4 and have to rely on the other group for its qualification if it wins or loses to Kazakhstan if Iran loses to Australia and Japan defeats Qatar. In that, Japan will move up to no. 2 and Iran will take no. 3 spot.
But there were questions heading into Gilas’ game tonight as they absorbed a stunning 88-92 loss to the Kazakhstan in their first meeting with the visiting team converting 12 triples on the Philippines, led by Alexandr Zhigulin.
But things have changed since then for the Philippines as they will have former NBA player Andray Blatche as it naturalized player and Roger Pogoy expected to be available after serving out his FIBA suspension.
Kazakhstan also will have a new player in American Anthony Clemmons, who unloaded 31 points on 4-of-8 three-point shooting in his debut during Kazakhstan’s 61-80 loss at the hands of Australia last Thursday.
Clemmons, however, can find his match on former Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards center Blatche, who nearly triple-doubled with 17 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists in their devastating 84-46 win over Qatar last Sunday./PN
