Familiar opponents will be in the way of Gilas Pilipinas after being bracketed with India, New Zealand and Lebanon in Group D of the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup slated in Indonesia on July 12 to 24.
The Philippines is also grouped with India and New Zealand in Pool A of the 2023 FIBA World Cup qualifiers with the Middle East powerhouse Lebanon serving as the new squad in the bunch this time.
Reigning champion Australia leads Group A along with Jordan, Saudi Arabia and host Indonesia while China, South Korea, Chinese Taipei and Bahrain make up Group B.
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Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan and Syria are in Group C to complete the groupings of the 16-strong continental joust.
The Asia Cup is only one of Gilas’ multiple tournaments this year as part of its long World Cup build-up with scheduled stints in the Southeast Asian Games and the Asian Games.
But first thing’s first for Gilas, which will clash with New Zealand, India and South Korea in the first window of the WC qualifiers on Feb. 24 to 28 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Gilas, New Zealand and India will have more duels with each other in the second window in June before the Asia Cup proper.
The Philippines is eyeing to improve on its seventh-place finish in 2017, incidentally, also under now-returning mentor Chot Reyes.
New Gilas recruit Caelum Harris, a 6-foot-7, 16-year-old prodigy, is expected to be available in the Asia Cup and other tournaments with his expected arrival in the country next month.
