Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 31) – The historic rivalry between the Philippines and South Korea in the Asian basketball scene will have its new chapter as the two countries were both picked in Group A of the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian qualifiers.
The two Asian basketball giants are also grouped with New Zealand and India in a draw held on Tuesday at the Patrick Baumann House of Basketball in Mies, Switzerland.
In their previous battle, Gilas Pilipinas swept the South Koreans in two games in the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers held in Clark, Pampanga last June.
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The Philippines and South Korea fought in many memorable matches in past FIBA Asia tournaments and Asian Games.
Gilas last fought India in the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship with a 99-65 victory. It previously faced New Zealand in the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualification Tournament with an 80-89 loss.
Meanwhile, Group B is composed of China, Australia, Japan, and Chinese Taipei.
On the other hand, Group C is made up of Jordan, Lebanon, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia.
Iran, Kazakhstan, Syria, and Bahrain are the teams in Group D.
Although they are qualified for the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup for being two of the three-host countries of the basketball showpiece, the Philippines and Japan will still play in the qualifying windows to prepare for the world championship.
Indonesia – the other 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup host nation – needs to finish in the top eight of the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup to advance to the FIBA world meet.
Each qualification window lasts nine days as the national teams will play home and away games across each of these event windows.
The first round windows will be played from November 2021 to July 2022. The top three teams in each group after the first round will progress to the second round windows, to be held from August 2022 to February 2023.
The Asia/Oceania region has 16 teams in the qualifying games that will vie for six spots in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
