MANILA, Philippines – The stage is set for Gilas Pilipinas in the classification round, where they join South Sudan and China.
This, following China’s demolition at the hands of the mighty Puerto Rico team, 89-107.
The Philippines, fellow Group A member Angola, South Sudan and China are part of the tournament’s Group M.
Gilas will be facing South Sudan at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Thursday night. On Saturday, they will be taking on China at the same venue.
The Nationals finished Group A play with a 0-3 win-loss record and a point differential of -23.
Angola, on the other hand, ended up with a 1-2 slate and a -12 point differential.
World Cup debutants South Sudan finished 1-2 card and a -17 point differential, while and China was winless in three games and has a -80 point differential.
China’s point difference is the second worst in the whole tournament, only above the -100 point differential of Lebanon.
According to FIBA, every team in the classification round groups will take on two teams that it did not face during the group phase.
The classification round will establish the teams that would place 17th through 32.
Gilas’ chances of making the 2024 Paris Olympics is dim, but a door is still ajar for the Philippines — as long as they defeat both South Sudan and China and all other Asian teams lose.
The top Asian team from the World Cup will automatically qualify to the Olympics.
Japan is the only Asian country with a win in the tournament so far after surprising Finland, 98-88, on Sunday.
But with a 1-2 slate, the Japanese also dropped to the classification round.
The top team of each group in the classification round will be classified 17th to 20th, while the No. 2 team of each group will be ranked 21st to 24th.
The No. 3 teams will be the 25th to 28th, while the No. 4 squads will be 29th to 32nd.
