By Ivan Stewart Saldajeno | Philippine News Agency
MANILA — Familiar opponents await Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers.
After the draw held in India on Saturday night, Gilas will have South Korea and Southeast Asian neighbors Indonesia and Thailand in Group A.
The other ASEAN squad in the qualifiers, Malaysia, ended up in a tough Group C that consists of Oceania squads Australia, New Zealand, and Guam.
The other East Zone group, Group B, has China, Chinese Taipei, Japan, and Hong Kong.
Meanwhile, three known Middle Eastern powerhouses, Syria, Qatar, and Iran, end up in Group E with Saudi Arabia.
Group D has Bahrain, Lebanon, India, and Iraq, while Group F consists of Jordan, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka, and Palestine.
The qualifiers will happen in a double round robin home-and-away format.
The two teams with the best record per group will make the FIBA Asia Cup outright.
On the other hand, the third-placed teams will play in another qualifying round to determine the other four teams that will complete the cast.
