Gilas Pilipinas will face a relatively different Lebanese team and a Jordanian squad that pretty much has the same core.
The sixth window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers is going down in the next few days, and Gilas Pilipinas now has a clear picture of the competition they’re about to take on. This Friday, they’ll take on Lebanon who’s fielding a roster not nearly identical to the one that pulled off an 85-81 victory over the Filipinos last August. Perhaps having already qualified for the World Cup has something to with that decision. Jordan, on the other hand, will go up against the Philippine contingent on Monday with their big guns as expected.
Lebanon
Of course, the most noticeable omission in the Lebanese lineup is Wael Arakji. Yes, The brash guard who went “night night” on Gilas six months ago isn’t suiting up this time. Still, the Cedars remain a dangerous foe for Gilas. Amir Saoud will practically take up the cudgels and he’s capable enough to do it. The last time he faced Team Philippines, Saoud carried the load with 17 points. Lebanon will also feature Sergio El Darwich, a 6-foot-4 wing who has the ability to punish Gilas in a variety of ways.
Here's Lebanon’s final 12.
Jordan
The Jordanians aren’t taking any chances on Monday. They’re bringing heavy artillery against Gilas, as they should. In the scoring department, USA-born guard Dar Tucker will surely be on top of things. When it comes to big man duties, they’ve got Ahmad Al Dwairi to lead the way. Jordan's 6-foot-11 center might just have a big game against Gilas given the home squad's lack of bigs in its pool.
Here's Jordan’s final 12.
By this time, coach Chot Reyes and the rest of Gilas know what they need to do to defend home turf. And with the crowd on their side at the Philippine Arena, they might just execute their strategies down to a tee against the upset-minded visitors.