Date: September 15 – 25, 2011

Host nation: China

Rank           Team

1         China

2         Jordan

3         South Korea

4         Philippines

5          Iran

6          Lebanon

7          Japan

8          Chinese – Taipei

9          Syria

10        United Arab Emirates

11        Malaysia

12        Uzbekistan

13        Indonesia

14        India

15        Bahrain

16        Qatar

Photo Courtesy: Philippinesgoforgold.blogspot.com

Group A

Lebanon

India

Malaysia

South Korea

Group B

Qatar

TBD

Chinese – Taipei

Iran

Group C

Japan

Indonesia

Syria

Jordan

Group D

Philippines

United Arab Emirates

Bahrain

China

]]> http://benjsports.com/fiba-asia-championship/2011-fiba-asia-champioship-draw-results/feed/ 0 http://benjsports.com/fiba-asia-championship/gone-with-the-wind/ http://benjsports.com/fiba-asia-championship/gone-with-the-wind/#comments Sun, 16 Aug 2009 15:00:15 +0000 Benjie http://benjsports.com/?p=295

PHOTO COURTESY: CHINA2009.FIBA.COM

Jordan’s national team shattered the hopes and dreams of Team Pilipinas of making it to Turkey next year for the FIBA – World Championship. It’s a sad reality that our national basketball team came short of grabbing a berth for the world’s most prestigious basketball tournament.  After losing to Jordan the other day, Asi Taulava and company had more desire of coming home early than finishing the tournament. They played the last two games againts Qatar and South Korea without the eagerness to win.  No ifs and buts. No more excuses.

I’m pretty sure that I share the same sentiments with every Filipino basketball fan. It’s time to ponder of what went wrong and do something with it. As they say, the only failure in life is the failure to rise again. The same thing with basketball.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE.COM / API.NING.COM

I’m a bit disappointed with the loss of Team Pilipinas against Iran early today in the FIBA-Asia Championship. The loss pushed the RP 5 with an early quarterfinal showdown with Jordan considering the probable outcomes of the games among the quarterfinalists.  The good thing, however, is the fact that the Filipinos will end this tournament on a higher note compared to the ninth place finish in the 2007 qualifier.

The bitter memory of RP 5’s loss to Jordan in Japan two years ago still lingers.  I couldn’t forget how Rasheim Wright hit clutch baskets down the stretch that ended the Filipino’s hopes for an elusive Olympic dream. Now, the Filipinos will face practically the same team as in 2007.

It seems that Rasheim is Jordan’s Mr. Right as he has been leading his team with 18.5 points per game in four games so far in this tournament.  An American born but acquired Jordanian citizenship thru naturalization, Rasheim Wright is in his second stint in the FIBA-Asia Championship.

After a day off on Thursday, RP 5 will face Rasheim Wright and the rest of Jordan in the knockout quarterfinals.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHINA2009.FIBA.COM

It feels so good knowing that Powerade Team Pilipinas has won its first two assignments in the much anticipated FIBA-Asia Championship in Tianjin, China.

In the first game last August 6, RP 5 took every opportunity to build a huge margin of 84 points in the 115-31 victory over Sri Lanka.  The Philippine team tries to avoid complications in the future in case of similar standings. So they resort to a merciless drubbing of Sri Lanka, a country more known of cricket than basketball.

The win against Japan last night was the more satisfying win as the RP team fought back from an 11-point first quarter deficit. At halftime, Team Pilipinas still trailed by 6, at 41-35.  The fourth quarter saw the Japanese catching their breath to keep the pace with the RP 5. With only 5:05 left in the game, I could already smell victory with Team Pilipinas leading by 15, 72-57 and ended the game with a 9-point margin 78-69. The Filipinos showed heart and poise to counter a miraculous end game comeback by Japan.

Tonight will be a tough night for RP Team as it faces the fast and sweet shooting South Koreans. For sure, I’ll be glued again on my seat.