MANILA – Basketball powerhouse United States is set to begin its FIBA World Cup “revenge tour” in the Philippines, which will co-host the 2023 edition of the basketball spectacle along with Japan and Indonesia.
FIBA announced on Monday that Team USA was selected by the Philippines as their preferred team to play their group stage match in the country, either in SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay or in Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“After consultation with the three host nations, USA will play their group stage matches in the Philippines, Slovenia will travel to Japan and Canada will land in Indonesia,” FIBA said in a statement.
It was not yet known, however, whether the United States men’s basketball team is to be in the same group as the Gilas Pilipinas or they will be slotted in other groups that will also play in the country.
The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Draw is to be held in Manila on April 29 and this is the second time in the basketball tournament’s history that 32 teams will play at the World Cup.
The complete FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Draw Principles will be defined after the sixth window of the qualifiers in February is complete and once all the qualified teams are known.
The Team USA of head coach Gregg Popovich aims to bounce back after finishing at seventh place during the 2018 edition of the FIBA World Cup in China. It was considered as their worst finish in the event.
The Team USA then was led by NBA cagers Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Marcus Smart, Donovan Mitchell, Kemba Walker, Brook Lopez, Joe Harris, Harrison Barnes, Mason Plumlee, Myles Turner and Khris Middleton.
Team USA finished with a 3-0 slate in the first round of group stage as they defeated Czech Republic (88-67), Turkey (93-92 in overtime) and Japan (98-45), and 2-0 in the second round by defeating Greece (69-53) and Brazil (89-73).
The United States, however, were stunned by France in the quarterfinals round, 89-79, and was also beaten by Serbia in the classification round, 94-89, before beating Poland, 87-74, in the seventh place game./PN
