FIBA ASIA Cup Qualifiers

[DenzelGreat8]

Those are all just lame excuses and reasons by the NZ fanboys. JMF would be playable if they opt to go with Wetzell and Fotu. Those two are smaller and had issues with their laterals.

Why would NZ even need to trap Gilas’ perimeter players? Breaking that press would be too easy for us. Let’s be real—that kind of strategy works only against low-tier teams, and they’ll need Corey’s scoring to even compete with Gilas. Kahit sino pa ipadala ng NZ, Gilas would still come out on top unless they somehow convince Adams to suit up. All these excuses are just BS. A loss is a loss—no need for so many reasons. Haha!

If Kai eventually pairs with a solid defensive big like Edu, that’s when we’ll truly see how dominant this Gilas team can be.

Tohi Smith-Milner did not play, he is the guy I'm looking forward against the Gilas bigs.

Analyzed, why is he not included?

[Giannis34GOD]

Well, both teams have a slim to reach the FIBA-Asia Cup anyway since the possible third placers in other groups are Guam and Taipei.

Indonesia might have a shot beating Guam if they qualified.. they are more fluid as a team compare to Guam.. I'm sure DMX and Bolden will be available by summer of 2025.. both are game changers for Indonesia.. Guam has no system.. just doing bully ball against smaller teams.. Bolden is way better than Galloway while DMX vs Tai Wesley is a fun match up.. up and coming prospect vs veteran campaigner... Jawato vs Ross is also good match up..

[PeeZones]

Tohi Smith-Milner did not play, he is the guy I'm looking forward against the Gilas bigs.

Analyzed, why is he not included?

He is just an nbl second stringer and just good against team b or team C gilas. This team A gilas is a different animal. Milner is around 5th to 7th option in NZ bigs heirarchy. It is only a 40min game and he wont have minutes. Harrison is their best center after Adams and waddy their best pf. Those two will have most of the minutes unless NZ will go small like yesterday. They played 1 big 4 small and vogdanovich as pf. Wala silang pantapat kay kai then pano nalang if nandiyan si Aj.

[DAdmiral]

Official numbers - 4 or the 5 starters in both the QQT and World cup for New zealand were absent last night ( Captain Te Rangi, MVP Shea ili,(NBL defensive player of the year) Dalaney and Wetzell ( latter two are in Europe ) latter 2 are NBL former all NBL 2nd team nominees . Other notable absentees are Fotu, Tai webster, Ngatai, Smth Miner - Manenga who was in pool also absent - so that 10 of arguably NZ best players all absent
Having said that off course team last night is considered now the A team , as they're looking at the next 4 year cycle.,
BTW for the game against Taipei on Sunday , Hapoi U18 FiBA Asia and shea Ili are joiining, the team is essentially slowly seeing which players to add into the program for the next 4 year cycle.

Gilas won fair and square and is really now a formidable world level team. NZ will be interesting how new coach who had his 1st practice this week starts forming this team for the next 4 years

[Giannis34GOD]

I think a team on the rise after some years of struggle in Asian basketball is Chinese Taipei. The team is impressive in its game vs. Hongkong yesterday, beating Hongkong by a whopping 30 pts. This current CT team is significantly stronger than the one that played in the 1st window last February.The Taiwanese have a No. of promising young players including the 6-foot-2 Afro shooting guard Mohammed Gadiaga Bachir a. k. a. "Abbasi" who is playing in the japan B-league & 6-foot-3 combo guard Benson Lin who is playing in China CBA. These 2 are really promising guards. Waiting in pipeline are the very 2 Hinton brothers who are honing their skills in the US. Both are good size wings & are promising as well.

Chinese Taipei's Achilles heel remains to be in the big man position that's why their naturalized players are natural centers. It would be interesting to see the Chinese Taipei vs. New Zealand game a few days from now. It would be the real test for Chinese Taipei.

Yeah.. it's hard to gauge them vs a weak Hong Kong team.. if they manage to hang on vs NZL until final buzzer, we can say it right...

[Giannis34GOD]

He is still in the GLeague. Probably wont play until the offseason. Should also be a candidate for an exemption if he is legit born and raised in Hong Kong.

He's automatically local.. same case as Matt Ganuelas Rosser... Born here but raised in US..

[OverratedTabBaldwin]

World-level teams are already struggling to contain Kai who is actually 6-8 years away from his prime. That's why I find it really funny when posters here were about to jump cliff when Kai wasn't drafted in the NBA. Dude is a generational talent in the Asia-Ocenia level with a natural feel for the game, high basketball IQ, extreme length, and decent athleticism. Kai will be a problem for years to come. All he needs to do is stay healthy and I would love him to have a FIBA career as long as Haddadi's.

[DAdmiral]

According to a poster Harrison is NZ 2nd best center after Adams
Here are OQT stats of NZ centers

Wetzell -starts and finsihes 22 mins a game
Manenga (who is starting center for NBL leader Breakers) - 12 mins average

Harrison- former development player ( 7 mins avg)

https://search.app?link=https%3A%2F%...%2Fgs%2Fm2%2F4

[Metta]

The thing that they are overlooking on Japan is that their guards and the wings (1, 2 and 3) are close to three-level scorers - they can drive, they can go midrange and shoot from the three. They also have smooth handles (Korean guards are pretty stiffed ballhandlers) and pretty quick.

The stat I kept an eye on more than 3s is rebounding. We dominated NZ 44-21 and on the offensive boards 16-8. That right there shows we were more aggressive and we overcame their physicality which is their identity.

[PeeZones]

How can a 22 yr old 6-9 player stop a Kai Sotto? Kai is already too imposing against ex NBA players at their peak age.haha Harrison stats at the current NBL season is way better than Manenga.lol Reasons pamore. Wetzell was bbq chicken for Kai at 19 and he never played center on his teams. He was always their PF. Kai against wetzell at PF would be overkill.

If you are admitting that this is Flavell's team A, then who are you to question his choices?haha Nz should have picked you if your thinking was of value. This was the best NZ team as per Flavell and you lost to an incomplete Gilas. Again who is now the best big in Asia including Oceana? I still could remember that 36ers vs Suns game and Landale wasnt really having his way against Kai. Let them face Kai at this age.

What happened to Xavier Cooks against Kai in the JBL?lol Cooks was one of the NBL top players these days. Then si manenga lang ipangtatapat kay kai?haha asa pa buong NZ fanboys.haha

Baka ikaw na naman source ng scouting report ng NZ.haha kasi lagi silang sag sa labas sa mga BALDOG ng gilas na si Skati at sometimes kay newnew.haha

[reamily]

Tohi Smith-Milner did not play, he is the guy I'm looking forward against the Gilas bigs.

Analyzed, why is he not included?

That guys is new zealand version of mirza..bench warmer who we glorified as best big that gilas cannot match up

[reamily]

Tohi Smith-Milner did not play, he is the guy I'm looking forward against the Gilas bigs.

Analyzed, why is he not included?

That guys is new zealand version of mirza..bench warmer who we glorified as best big that gilas cannot match up

Again onlybte rangi and illi are the loss in gilas they work hard play hard but their offense will be locked by the gilas defensive scheme

[DAdmiral]

There are many imports in Europe and NBL and all over thst are actually better than some NBA players, (guys on 2 ways and Rookie contacts) , making the NBA isn't all about who is better .

almosr all NbL next stars , like Sarr, Hampton, Dieng were all bench players, with teammates that are better , but are vets. Yet those next stars were drafted . Brownlee and RHJ are certainly better than some NBA players, but are unlikely to return to the NBA.

So personalities aside , making the NBA isn't about level of play purely, many other factors.

For a player like Kai hes certainly better thsn some NBA players, he however will fit better where he is showcase as he needs the ball and PT, perhaps a big Europe contact is a good fit , ($5 M a year)
a 2 way NBA development contract for a main guy not a role player may be unrealistic (its not aboit talent

[PeeZones]

At least he is admitting that Kai is already note worthy and deserves a 5m per year contract. I am still waiting for Kai to reach his peak at around 25. Kai would need a team that would fit his skillsets. A brook lopez, gobert, zubac and edey role would be ideal for Kai. Depende nalang yn sa panahon papunta namang bigs ang NBA uli. NBA teams would need able bigs for Giannis, Jokic, Embiid and wemby.

[OverratedTabBaldwin]

Dejan Bodiroga never played in the NBA but he was cooking Carmelo and Lebron every time Serbia meets the USA in FIBA competitions. The fact that people on this board were about to jump cliff when Kai wasn't drafted in the NBA shows you how NBA-centric their basketball knowledge is.