Sorry, but I want to clarify something which is a bit off-topic. Since you mentioned about qualifiers, I just want to ask this: Since the SEABA is the qualifier for the FIBA-Asia Championship, and we always dominate such tournament, then why do we bother so much about sending our "elite" players for the FIBA-Asia Cup? Regardless of how we perform in the FIBA-Asia Cup or how we place in that tournament, we are already assured of making it to the FIBA-Asia Championship the moment we make it to the top 2 in SEABA. And we all know, making it to the top 2 in SEABA is a "walk in the park" for any Philippine team.
Now with regards to the FIBA-Asia Cup which was formerly known as the FIBA-Asia Stankovic Cup, such tournament was used to determine the draw of the FIBA-Asia Championship. The placings of teams in the FIBA-Asia Cup or Stankovic Cup will determine the groupings or bracketing of teams of the FIBA-Asia Championship. For instance, the placings of teams in the 2010 FIBA-Asia Stankovic Cup was used to determine the bracketing of the 2011 FIBA-Asia Championship. But for this year's FIBA-Asia Championship, the placings of the 2012 FIBA-Asia Cup became academic because the tournament organizers opted for a "pure random" draw.
Yung pabago-bagong policy or rules ng FIBA or FIBA-Asia has become very confusing & complicated na.
From what I know, there are two qualifiers for the FIBA-ASIA Championships during the qualifier year. the direct route which is the FIBA-ASIA Cup, which automatically includes the Top 4, thereby increasing the total countries representing the region. So, in the case of the ASEAN, there were three countries representing the ASEAN - PHL, MAL, and THI. however, if one will not qualify for through the FIBA-ASIA CUP, another qualifier are the zonal ones, which in our case is the SEABA.. Here, the TOP 2 represent the region in the FIBA-ASIA Qualifier.
Hence the reason why i made an exception for both tournaments during the qualificaiton year. It is best if the Philippines would get a direct entry through the FIBA-ASIA Cup, so that our CADETS can participate in the SEABA qualifier as a way of seasoning them. I believe, if we are already qualified, we don't have to bring a naturalized player in the SEABA tournament and instead let our CADETS play all pinoy.
With the development of the ABL and ASEAN in general, there is a great possibility that other countries in the region will follow our route, and that is by way of naturalization and scouting for other ASEAN-Foreign players. This will definitely help our cause in improving the cadets since they will be able to play against supposedly more seasoned teams in the ASEAN (because basically, I believe, other ASEAN countries will get naturalized players for the 2015 edition).
Also, It is important to know this because, this is the last time that we will have an ALL Asian qualifier. the next qualifier will include the OZ and NZ, similar to what is being done in football. So might as well explore all possibilities for qualifying and try to make it happen so that our cadets will have better opportunities to compete.
AS for the FIBA-ASIA Championships, i don't know why they revert back to the old form. I believe, the ramdom draw will also be used for the FIBA World Cup. but then lets see.
As I just commented previously, we can find a way to help our CADETS have better competition without compromising the schedule of the PBA (because the PBA will not represent the country in all tournaments -- and all the tournaments I mentioned do not have FIBA points, so our ranking will not be affected), and this is just my mere suggestion.
For the CADETS - ASIAN Games as their own version of World Cup
Btw, it is true na nakakainis na pabago bago nalang sila palagi. Nevertheless, Laban Pilipinas! Puso!!
Seniors - Qualifiers for the World Cup and eventually the Olympics (by 2019 - the WC will be the qualifier for the Olympics, hence the reason for increasing the slots to 32 in the WC)