The Philippine National Basketball Team, more popularly known as Gilas Pilipinas begin its journey for a possible Olympic comeback in Rio 2016 when they face FIBA Asia newcomer Palestine in the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship as the games kickoff with an eight game schedules today, September 23, 2015.
Gilas Pilipinas is considered as heavy favorites in Group B featuring the Philippines, Palestine, Kuwait, and Hong Kong. The Philippines is scheduled to face Palestine at around 11:45 AM while Hong Kong will face Kuwait in the first game at around 9:30 AM.
Today’s schedules includes Iran vs. Japan in Group A at 2:30 PM, Korea vs. Jordan in Group C at 4:45 PM, China vs. Singapore in Group C at 7:30 PM., and Chinese Taipei vs. Lebanon in Group D at 9:30 PM.
Over at the Central South University of Forestry and Technology Gymnasium, Malaysia and India face off in a Group A tiff at 7:30 p.m. then Kazakhstan and Qatar slug it out in a Group D match at 9:30 p.m.
The Philippines has never been eliminated in the 2009 FIBA Asia elimination round, the last time that the country was eliminated in the elims was way back the year 2007 when the country was eliminated alongside with China as they were bunched in the Group of Death, Iran and Jordan.
The Palestine national basketball team on the other hand are considered lightweights in the FIBA Asia ranking as they Palestinians ranked outside the Top 10, Palestine are ranked No. 12, just ahead of Kuwait, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore.
The Palestine national basketball team previously competed in the FIBA Afro Games, Palestine once bagged the bronze medal in the 1964 African Championship.
In this year’s FIBA Asia Championship, Palestine qualified as they placed third behind Lebanon and Jordan in the West Asia Basketball Association Championship. The country performed better than Syria and Iraq in the WABA eliminator.
The main man of the Palestine squad in FIBA Asia 2015 is no other than Sani Sakakini who is considered as a veteran of Jordan, Chinese and Lebanese leagues averaging 20.4 averaging 20.4 points, 11.9 rebounds and 2.0 steals playing for Hoops Clue in Beirut.
The Palestine national basketball squad featured an average height of 6-4 and an average age of 25 featuring their most popular big man the 6-8 power forward Sani Sakakini.
According to basketball experts, the coach of Palestine Coach Jerry Steele has other key players in former Central Arkansas player Imad Qahwash, Shadi Khatib and Hamza Yousef, but one of their popular player was missing, longtime star Omar Krayem, who was earlier featured as Globalport’s Asian import in the Governor’s Cup.