Guide to the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers

Two years ago, SJ Belangel made That Shot.

It was the "Salamat, Belangel" from commentator Josh Bett that probably drove it home.

This impossible buzzer-beating, game-winning shot during the FIBA Asia Cup 2021 Qualifiers against South Korea proved the curse was indeed broken and the win in the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship was no fluke.

But what is the FIBA Asia Cup? How is it different from the FIBA Asia Championship? Is it a qualification to the next World Cup? Here's a quick guide.

FIBA Asia Cup vs FIBA Asia Championship

Technically they're the same competition to determine the continental basketball champion.

Sure, there's the Asian Games. But this is FIBA's Asian equivalent to the EuroBasket, the AfroBasket, and the AmeriCup. This is the bragging right for Asian basketball supremacy.

The 2015 FIBA Asia Championship was the last edition to serve as a qualifier for the Basketball World Cup and the Olympic Games.

The 2017 edition, renamed the FIBA Asia Cup, became the first standalone tournament for continental glory. It was the last to be held biennially, as the next one would take place after four years.

It was also in 2017 when FIBA Oceania Championship would be merged with Asia, allowing for the entry of Australia and New Zealand.

Australia proceeded to dislodge China and Iran from the throne.

What happened in the previous FIBA Asia Cup?

The last edition was intended to be held in August 2021, but the COVID-19 pandemic and the Tokyo Olympics pushed the tournament to July 2022.

The Boomers of Australia was able to defend their title against the Cedars of Lebanon.

It also allowed the Tall Blacks of New Zealand to get their first FIBA Asia Cup medal, a bronze, against Jordan.

The FIBA Asia Cup though has solidifed the Cedars as the new Asian dark horse, powered by the Most Valuable Player of the tournament, Wael Arakji.

What happened to the Philippines?

Facing both the Tall Blacks and the Cedars Group D proved to be too much of a tall order for Gilas Pilipinas.

A sole win against India was enough for to reach the playoffs. Unfortunately, the Philippines couldn't get the victory against Japan and qualify for the quarterfinals.

Gilas finished the tournament in ninth place.

The 2025 edition of the FIBA Asia Cup

The next tournament will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Sixteen teams will vie for bragging rights as the top squad in Asia.

The road to the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup

Twenty-four teams have been drawn into six groups of four. The Philippines is in Group B along with Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, and New Zealand.

FIBA rankings:

• New Zealand: Second in Asia, 21st in the world
• Philippines: Eighth in Asia, 38th in the world
• Chinese Taipei: 16th in Asia, 78th in the world
• Hong Kong: 26th in Asia, 119th in the world

All teams within the group will play each other twice using the home-and-away format. That means Gilas Pilipinas will play two games each in three windows: February 2024, November 2024, and February 2025.

Full groups

• Group A: Thailand, Australia, South Korea, Indonesia
• Group B: Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Philippines, New Zealand
• Group C: China, Guam, Japan, Mongolia
• Group D: Iraq, Jordan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia
• Group E: Iran, Kazakhstan, India, Qatar
• Group F: Bahrain, Syria, Lebanon, United Arab Emirates

The top two teams at the end of the qualifiers will be heading to the FIBA Asia Cup in 2025. The third team in the group will be battling in another qualifying tournament for the final four slots.

Rosters for Group B

Chinese Taipei (Preliminary)

• Yu Ai-Che, Lin Chun Chi, Gao Jin Wei, Lin Bing Sheng, Hsieh Ya Hsuan, Chang Chia Ho, Liu Cheng, Lin Sin-Kuan, Wang Hao Chi, Chen Yu Hsu, Jonah Morrison, Lin Cheng, Hsieh Zong Rong

Hong Kong

• So Chi Lok, Leung Shiu Wah, Hon Tin Chi, Ricky Yang, Tam Tsz Kin, Yeung Siu Hung, Wong Tsz Him, Oliver Xu, Duncan Reid, Tsoi Lung Tak, Liu Kwan Ho, Chan Hiu Fung

New Zealand (Preliminary)

• Taylor Britt, Walter Brown, Tobias Cameron, Max Darling, Dan Fotu, Julius Halaifonua, Tyrell Harrison, Izayah Le’afa, Alex McNaught, Jordan Ngatai, Dion Prewster, Ethan Rusbatch, Sam Timmins, Tom Vodanovich

Philippines

• Dwight Ramos, Kai Sotto, June Mar Fajardo (injured), Scottie Thompson, Chris Newsome, Calvin Oftana, CJ Perez, Jamie Malonzo, AJ Edu (injured), Carl Tamayo, Kevin Quiambao, Japeth Aguilar

First window of the qualifiers

Hong Kong vs Philippines

• February 22 | Thursday
• 8 p.m. LIVE on One Sports, One Sports+, RPTV, and Pilipinas Live

Australia vs South Korea

• February 22 | Thursday 
• 3:30 p.m. LIVE on One Sports+ and Pilipinas Live
• 10 p.m. delayed telecast on One Sports

Syria vs Lebanon

• February 23 | Friday 
• 11 p.m. LIVE on One Sports+ and Pilipinas Live
• 11 p.m. next day delayed telecast on One Sports

Japan vs China

• February 25 | Sunday 
• 1 p.m. LIVE on One Sports+ and Pilipinas Live
• 11 p.m. delayed telecast on One Sports

Philippines vs Chinese Taipei

• February 25 | Sunday 
• 7:30 p.m. LIVE on One Sports, One Sports+, RPTV, and Pilipinas Live

Saudi Arabia vs Jordan

• February 27 | Tuesday 
• 12:30 a.m. LIVE on One Sports, One Sports+, and Pilipinas Live

Where to watch?

• One Sports (FREE TV: Ch. 41 | Cignal Ch. 6)
• One Sports+ (Cignal Ch. 261 HD, Ch. 91 SD)
• RPTV (FREE TV: Manila, Cebu, Davao Ch. 9 | Baguio Ch. 12 | Iriga Ch. 10 | Bacolod Ch. 8 | Zamboanga Ch. 5 | DTT Ch. 18.3, 19 | PAY TV: Cignal Ch. 10 | SatLite Ch. 9 | GSat Ch. 8)
• Pilipinas Live app (Download via Google Play or the App Store)
• Buy your tickets at smtickets.com