By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

THE BASKETBALL world turns its attention to China beginning this weekend as the 2019 FIBA World Cup unfurls.

A two-week event happening from Aug. 31 to Sept. 15, the hoops spectacle gathers 32 of the best basketball nations in the world, including 20 in the top 30 in the current FIBA rankings with top seed the United States.

The Philippines, ranked number 31 in the world, is also competing in this edition of the World Cup, the second straight time that it has qualified after 2014 in Spain.

For the tournament, the 32 teams were divided into eight groups of four with the grouping determined by the drawing of lots held in March this year.

In the first round of group play, from Aug. 31 to Sept. 5, the games will be played in eight different cities in China with each team playing its group mates once with the top two squads advancing to the next round.

The second round, from Sept. 6 to 9, will have four groups of four made up of the teams that advanced from the first round, again playing each other once. The top two teams from these groups will qualify for the final knockout phase from Sept. 10 to 15.

The United States, the defending World Cup champion, begins its campaign in Group E, along with Turkey (17th ranked), Czech Republic (24) and Japan (48).

It will once again be bannered by National Basketball Association stars, led by All-Stars Kemba Walker of the Boston Celtics and Khris Middleton of the Milwaukee Bucks. Also part of the team are rising stars Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz and Jayson Tatum of the Celtics. Coach of the team is Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs.

Team USA saw some top NBA stars beg off from national team duty for varying reasons, leaving not a few seeing it as vulnerable come tournament time.

But Mr. Popovich remains upbeat of their chances but recognizes they have their work cut out for them in the World Cup.

“We have to play our best [in the World Cup]. This is group of guys works very hard. We are definitely a better team now that when we started,” the US coach said in the lead-up.

Games in Group E will be hosted by Shanghai.

GILAS PILIPINAS
The Philippine team, meanwhile, begins its World Cup bid in Group D along with Serbia (4), Italy (13) and Angola (39).

Carrying the cause for Gilas Pilipinas are Philippine Basketball Association stalwarts June Mar Fajardo, Japeth Aguilar, Gabe Norwood, Paul Lee, Troy Rosario, Roger Pogoy, Raymond Almazan, Mark Barroca, Kiefer Ravena, CJ Perez and Robert Bolick, backstopped by naturalized player and former NBA campaigner Andray Blatche. Gilas coach is Yeng Guiao.

Gilas said it is expecting another uphill battle in the World Cup but nonetheless is determined to make the country proud and give its best.

“[The] Guys are competing and take a lot of pride in their opportunity to represent the flag. The goal is to continue to prove that we are world-class, and Lord willing, improve on our finish from the previous World Cup,” said Mr. Norwood, who was also part of the team back in 2014.

Games in Group D will be hosted by Foshan with the Philippines taking on the Danilo Gallinari-led Italian squad first on Aug. 31.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte, who is in China on official business, is expected to watch Gilas play Italy.

The Philippines then plays Nikola Jokic and Serbia on Sept. 2 then Angola on Sept. 4.

Gilas Pilipinas games can be seen over TV5 and ESPN5.com.

The rest of the groupings has Venezuela (20), Poland (25), host China (30) and Ivory Coast in Group A (venue Beijing); Argentina (5), Russia (10), Korea (32) and Nigeria (33) in Group B (Wuhan); Spain (2), Puerto Rico (16), Iran (27) and Tunisia (51) in Group C (Guangzhou); Greece (8), Brazil (12), Montenegro (28) and New Zealand (38) in Group F (Nanjing); France (3), Dominican Republic (18), Germany (22) and Jordan (49) in Group G (Shenzhen); and Lithuania (6), Australia (11), Canada (23) and Senegal (37) in Group H (Dongguan).

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