FIBA ASIA Cup Qualifiers

[noyce2]

Man, KQ during that game had 0 professional experience. I've watched almost all of his kbl games and this man has done nothing but upgraded.

hoping and expecting that KQ assumes the Brownlee role in the triangle (which is the MJ/Kobe role haha). also impressed with his development, maybe we just have to be patient that Cone gives him the keys, most likely after Brownlee retires

 

[sroth38392]

Interesting twists this Monday.

If Kazakhstan beat Iran, then India is eliminated. Otherwise, they are out for the first time. When was the last time an Asia Cup didn't feature either Kazakhstan or India?

If Mongolia beat Japan, then Guam is eliminated.

Syria and Bahrain battle for the final ticket.

Says a lot about our team when I am more excited about the other fixtures.

 

[ja.he2]

Interesting twists this Monday.

If Kazakhstan beat Iran, then India is eliminated. Otherwise, they are out for the first time. When was the last time an Asia Cup didn't feature either Kazakhstan or India?

If Mongolia beat Japan, then Guam is eliminated.

Syria and Bahrain battle for the final ticket.

Says a lot about our team when I am more excited about the other fixtures.

Highly unlikely for Mongolia to beat Japan but they have a realistic chance to make the game closer.

Guam is in serious trouble to be honest since they are up against China.

I no longer want to see India this coming FIBA-Asia Cup. No improvement whatsoever on the part of India. They are just playing there for the sake of participation.

 

[sroth38392]

Highly unlikely for Mongolia to beat Japan but they have a realistic chance to make the game closer.

Guam is in serious trouble to be honest since they are up against China.

I no longer want to see India this coming FIBA-Asia Cup. No improvement whatsoever on the part of India. They are just playing there for the sake of participation.

I am also annoyed with the constant hype every time they play.

We've been hearing this "India is the next big thing" in basketball since what? 2006? Nothing. Not even a top 5 finish in the senior level.

Hell, they couldn't Bahrain or Saudi with all their "height advantage".

 

[ja.he2]

I am also annoyed with the constant hype every time they play.

We've been hearing this "India is the next big thing" in basketball since what? 2006? Nothing. Not even a top 5 finish in the senior level.

Hell, they couldn't Bahrain or Saudi with all their "height advantage".

All height, zero skills - that's how I describe India.

 

[ja.he2]

I noticed the distribution of playing time between Taipei and Gilas.

- 9 players from Taipei played atleast 10 mins. In comparison, only 6 players from Gilas had meaningful playing time - played 20 minutes or longer.

These are the minutes Gilas players had played last thursday:

- Brownlee - 38 minutes
- Dwight - 38 minutes
- Scottie - 37 minutes
- AJ - 26 minutes
- June Mar - 21 minutes
- Newsome - 21 minutes
- Oftana - 8 minutes
- Carl - 4 minutes
- Perez - 3 minutes
​​​​
Do we expect Gilas to win the game with this kind of minute distribution?

 

[JAMSKIE2]

I don't disagree, seeing problems with gilas is not an automatic assumption that Taiwan will remain weak, you can criticize gilas without disparaging the other side but this isn't about just one game, gilas has been blowing black smoke from its exhaust since the tuneups in the Middle East.

Does the thought that "while everyone else improves, it's ok if we remain the same" accurate for what you're trying to imply?

Well, in fairness to coach Tim, I think he's expecting & optimistic naman that Gilas is going to improve thru time. For one, malayo pa naman yung 2027 FIBA World Cup which is really the main target or the main goal of the program. Then we got a number of young players in the team/pool like Kai, AJ Edu, Tamayo & KQ, which means that as these young players' individual game improve, mag e improve din yung team. The downside though is that we also have a No. of aging players whose days with the national team are already numbered - Junmar, Japeth, Newsome & of course Justin Brownlee. Once those players retire from Gilas, they would be replaced by younger players which also means panibagong adjustments na naman for the team.

Of course we also have to expect the rest of our opponents would improve as well. In particular teams like Taiwan, Iran, Qatar, China, Korea. I think these teams are on the rebuilding stage.

This I say, we can't simply just say that natalo tayo sa Chinese Taipei for a variety of factors like we missed Kai Sotto, our players are tired or the team is currently on a slump, while ignoring the vast improvement of the team na tumalo sa atin. Let's give credit to Chinese Taipei. They beat us mainly becoz they have vastly improved lately. Without such improvement, I don't think the Taiwan can beat a Gilas team even w/o kai Sotto, a Gilas team which is on a slump & a Gilas team with tired players.

I remember a poster here reacting to posters (which includes me) who complained about Qatar being given unfair advantage by FIBA by allowing it to have 2 world imports playing at the same time, that poster said like, "Why are you guys so worried about a lowly ranked Asian team?"

Oh I thought that poster understand basketball much better than I do!

Give 2 world imports to a Middle East national team & I tell U that team is going to pose a threat to any of the top 6 Asian teams (excluding Australia & New Zealand). Imagine a Saudi Arabian team with Justin Brownlee & Chris McCullough in tow. Or a Bahrain national team with RHJ & Ricardo Ratliffe.

I don't think teams like Jordan, Lebanon, China, Japan & of course Gilas won't feel threatened.

Remember that in that recent pocket tournament in Doha, we barely beat Qatar. It was a come from behind scary win by Gilas.

 

[JAMSKIE2]

All height, zero skills - that's how I describe India.

Agree.
If you look at the current India national team, not only that they have height & length, they're also athletic. But their skills are way way below when compared to the top 8 teams in Asia.

 

[thatweirdguy2]

I noticed the distribution of playing time between Taipei and Gilas.

- 9 players from Taipei played atleast 10 mins. In comparison, only 6 players from Gilas had meaningful playing time - played 20 minutes or longer.

These are the minutes Gilas players had played last thursday:

- Brownlee - 38 minutes
- Dwight - 38 minutes
- Scottie - 37 minutes
- AJ - 26 minutes
- June Mar - 21 minutes
- Newsome - 21 minutes
- Oftana - 8 minutes
- Carl - 4 minutes
- Perez - 3 minutes
​​​​
Do we expect Gilas to win the game with this kind of minute distribution?

The usual alibi I read is that it's just a non bearing game and we're trying to hide our cards. Well apparently nobody told the team especially Brownlee who's always trying his hardest to win. If anything we're becoming too predictable and we're giving them all the scouting they need.

 

[empyreanmaze2]

This I say, we can't simply just say that natalo tayo sa Chinese Taipei for a variety of factors like we missed Kai Sotto, our players are tired or the team is currently on a slump, while ignoring the vast improvement of the team na tumalo sa atin. Let's give credit to Chinese Taipei. They beat us mainly becoz they have vastly improved lately. Without such improvement, I don't think the Taiwan can beat a Gilas team even w/o kai Sotto, a Gilas team which is on a slump & a Gilas team with tired players.

With or without Kai Sotto, this team should not have such a steep drop in quality, simple as. This team is the product of a culture, not just Kai Sotto, absolutely nothing you've said supports the narrative that they should be playing to the levels of Taiwan or weaker teams by missing Kai Sotto. We're going in circles here, I'm saying "you're fat and out of shape" and you're saying "it's because they're too fast" and I'm saying "they're too fast because you're out of shape" and you go "no they're simply too fast". You have a fat and out of shape mentality, snap out of it

 

[FilWelsh2]

Well, in fairness to coach Tim, I think he's expecting & optimistic naman that Gilas is going to improve thru time. For one, malayo pa naman yung 2027 FIBA World Cup which is really the main target or the main goal of the program. Then we got a number of young players in the team/pool like Kai, AJ Edu, Tamayo & KQ, which means that as these young players' individual game improve, mag e improve din yung team. The downside though is that we also have a No. of aging players whose days with the national team are already numbered - Junmar, Japeth, Newsome & of course Justin Brownlee. Once those players retire from Gilas, they would be replaced by younger players which also means panibagong adjustments na naman for the team.

We don’t have a luxury of big men. I believe Junemar will still be serviceable at least for another 3 years as a starter weaning gradually into bench or practice player. However Japeth and Newsome should retire after FIBA Asia Cup this summer. And SBP should have another NP before yearend in anticipation of Brownlee’s retirement. He will be 37 in April.

 

[sroth38392]

We don’t have a luxury of big men. I believe Junemar will still be serviceable at least for another 3 years as a starter weaning gradually into bench or practice player. However Japeth and Newsome should retire after FIBA Asia Cup this summer. And SBP should have another NP before yearend in anticipation of Brownlee’s retirement. He will be 37 in April.

And whoever that NP is, he should be integrated into the lineup as early as the first WCQ window.

Already not liking the fact that Bennie's papers haven't progressed since May 2024.

 

[ja.he2]

And whoever that NP is, he should be integrated into the lineup as early as the first WCQ window.

Already not liking the fact that Bennie's papers haven't progressed since May 2024.

Why not call Jared McCain, Ron Harper, Jr. or Dylan Harper? If I were SBP, I will do my best to convince these three to take the naturalized spot of Gilas. You only need passport to take either of the three with McCain and Dylan securing a clearance from USAB.

 

[JAMSKIE2]

With or without Kai Sotto, this team should not have such a steep drop in quality, simple as. This team is the product of a culture, not just Kai Sotto, absolutely nothing you've said supports the narrative that they should be playing to the levels of Taiwan or weaker teams by missing Kai Sotto. We're going in circles here, I'm saying "you're fat and out of shape" and you're saying "it's because they're too fast" and I'm saying "they're too fast because you're out of shape" and you go "no they're simply too fast". You have a fat and out of shape mentality, snap out of it

I don't understand what you're trying to imply with this analogy.

I'm with you bro when U said that even if we don't have a Kai Sotto for this 3rd window, we should not think that Gilas is a significantly weaker team than a Gilas team with Kai Sotto in tow. As I mentioned in my post (that's post No. 2829), perhaps the Gilas team in this 3rd window is experiencing some sort of a slump & some of its players, especially the Ginebra guys, are tired & weary coming off a grueling quarterfinal series in the ongoing PBA Commissioner's Cup, as well as the recent pocket tournament in Doha, Qatar. I believe that the current Gilas team in this 3rd window isn't in the same form & condition as the Gilas team that beat Latvia, lost a close game to Georgia in last year's Olympic Qualifying Tournament & beat New Zealand in the 2nd window. We've seen the handwriting on the wall when Gilas got routed by a depleted Lebanon national team & Egypt in that pocket tournament.

As I've said, we also have to give credit to Taiwan. They have vastly improved from the team that Gilas routed by 50 pts in the 1st window. Masakit man tanggapin that we lost to them last Thursday, we can't deny that Taiwan was the better team than Gilas in that game.

 

[sroth38392]

Why not call Jared McCain, Ron Harper, Jr. or Dylan Harper? If I were SBP, I will do my best to convince these three to take the naturalized spot of Gilas. You only need passport to take either of the three with McCain and Dylan securing a clearance from USAB.

because the SBP is being ran by ignoramuses.

 

[JAMSKIE2]

We don’t have a luxury of big men. I believe Junemar will still be serviceable at least for another 3 years as a starter weaning gradually into bench or practice player. However Japeth and Newsome should retire after FIBA Asia Cup this summer. And SBP should have another NP before yearend in anticipation of Brownlee’s retirement. He will be 37 in April.

Things will be different if QMB gets declared by FIBA as a Pinoy local player (fingers crossed) & Kai comes back from injury. Having Kai, AJ Edu & QMB as our Gilas centers is already a solid talent pool in the center position. We can still have Junmar in the Gilas pool but as you've said, in a gradually lesser role.

 

[ja.he2]

I don't understand what you're trying to imply with this analogy.

I'm with you bro when U said that just becoz we don't have a Kai Sotto in this 3rd window, Gilas would be significantly weaker than the Gilas team with Kai in tow. However as I mentioned in my post (that's post No. 2829), perhaps the Gilas team in this 3rd window is experiencing some sort of a slump & some of its players, especially the Ginebra guys, are tired & weary coming off a grueling quarterfinal series in the ongoing PBA Commissioner's Cup, as well as the recent pocket tournament in Doha, Qatar. I believe that the current Gilas team in this 3rd window isn't in the same form & condition as the Gilas team that beat Latvia, lost a close game to Georgia in last year's Olympic Qualifying Tournament & beat New Zealand in the 2nd window. We've seen the handwriting in the wall when Gilas got routed by a depleted Lebanon national team & Egypt in that pocket tournament.

As I've said, we also have to give credit to Taiwan. They have vastly improved from the team that Gilas routed by 50 pts in the 1st window.

We were beaten not because of the quality drop but by the fact that Kai Sotto plays a significant part on Tim Cone's system. You take away Kai, the system crumbles.

 

[ja.he2]

because the SBP is being ran by ignoramuses.

Some are ignorants, some are not but greedy.

I mean, at this point in time, they should be aware that our FSAs, if attains residency and considered as locals in our pro-leagues, will have a chance to be localized. They should take a note on Abasi.

Fun fact, the children of Justin Brownlee, if minor and residing in the Philippines, could be considered locals in FIBA. The naturalization of Brownlee is also passed to his wife and children.

 

[thatweirdguy2]

Things will be different if QMB gets declared by FIBA as a Pinoy local player (fingers crossed) & Kai comes back from injury. Having Kai, AJ Edu & QMB as our Gilas centers is already a solid talent pool in the center position. We can still have Junmar in the Gilas pool but as you've said, in a gradually lesser role.

Hopefully he really is telling the truth that he got his passport before turning 16. But given our luck with Remy, JC etc I have my doubts. Also AJ and Kai's health will always be a concern (remember when Kai's "injury" kept him out of practices before the WC?)

​​​​​​It would really help if Kouame is declared as a local too. What else can we do besides letting him play as a local in the PBA for FIBA to consider him?

We've seen what happens when we're left with only JF,AJ, Japeth with Carl and JB manning the bigs position. Even the famed "bigman whisperer" Cone cannot win them alone.

 

[ja.he2]

Thailand heavily utilized the duo of Bruenig and Ejesu both hefty 6'8 bigs. No wonder why Korea almost lost the game while Thailand guards got their confidence with their shooting.