The 2023 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers will just be a prelude to Gilas Pilipinas, the New Zealand Tall Blacks, and India.
The three squads compose Pool D of the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup, which takes place from July 12-24 in Jakarta, Indonesia.
New Zealand, ranked 27th in the world, qualified for the tournament after placing second in Group C of the Qualifiers last year. The Philippines, meanwhile, swept Group A, 6-0.
India qualified for the tournament after surviving the second round of the Qualifiers.
Before the continental meet, the three squads will first meet twice in the World Cup Qualifiers.
New Zealand will take on India on February 24 and 28 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Gilas squares off against New Zealand on February 27 in Manila and on July 3. India versus Philippines will take place on February 25 also in Manila and on June 30.
Completing Pool D is world no. 55 Lebanon. Lebanon swept Group D of the Qualifiers, 6-0.
The last time the Philippines and Lebanon met in a FIBA-sanctioned tournament was back in the 2017 Asia Cup’s classification phase. Lebanon won the game, 87-106.
Host Indonesia, meanwhile, chose to be slotted with defending champion Australia, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia in Group A.
Crucial will be this tournament for the Rajko Toroman-coached national team as it needs to make the quarterfinals to advance to the World Cup proper.
Group C has 2017 runner-up Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, and Syria while Group B will feature China, Chinese-Taipei, Korea, and Bahrain.
The top two teams in each group will advance to the knockout playoffs.
