AS top teams around the world take the spotlight in the FIBA World Cup, much of the attention is focused on what Asian team can secure a spot in next year’s Paris Olympics.
So far, all Asian teams have dropped their first assignments, with Gilas Pilipinas being the lone team that managed to put up a big fight and avoid being blown out by higher-ranked opponents from the Americas.
The Philippines got tantalizingly close to pulling off what was believed to be the improbable, if not for the exit of main man Jordan Clarkson in the final three minutes, allowing the Dominican Republic to escape with an 87-81 win.
The same couldn’t be said for the other Asian teams.
Co-host Japan put up a fight early on against Germany but the Akatsuki Five, drawing splendid performances from Yuta Watanabe and Yudai Baba, still absorbed an 18-point defeat 81-63 at the hands of the Mo Wagner-led Deutch.
Jordan was also one of the other Asian teams that held its ground, but stunningly lost steam in the end.
Former PBA Best Import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson was all over the place for the Falcons, but they were only able to make the game competitive until the third frame. Greece went on a tear in the final period and dealt Jordan a 21-point beating, 92-71.
The rest of the Asian teams absorbed complete blowouts. Lebanon bowed to Latvia 107-70 while Iran proved no match for Brazil, absorbing a 41-point thrashing 100-59.
The great wall of China crumbled at the hands of Serbia by 42 points 105-63.
It’s clear the battle for an outright Olympic berth among Asian teams is still up in the air. It isn’t “forget Paris” just yet.
