In a bid to secure a coveted spot in the Paris Summer Olympics 2024, the Philippine national basketball team, Gilas Pilipinas, is gearing up for fierce competition in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) set to take place in Riga, Latvia, from July 2 to 7.
Gilas, currently ranked 38th in the world, has found themselves in Group A alongside formidable opponents: the 23rd-ranked Georgia and the 8th-ranked Latvia.
The tournament structure dictates that only the top two teams from each group will advance to the crossover semifinals.
Group B in Riga features a lineup of tough contenders as well, with Brazil (ranked 12th), Cameroon (ranked 67th), and Montenegro (ranked 17th) battling it out for the opportunity to move on to the semifinals.
The road to Paris is challenging, and Gilas Pilipinas faces a formidable task against higher-ranked opponents.
The Philippines’ national team, which has yet to name a full-time head coach, qualified for the OQT after finishing in 24th place in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023.
Meanwhile, another Asian representative, Lebanon, ranked 28th in the world, will compete in Valencia, Spain.
(C) FIBA.basketball
The Lebanese national team, also known as the Cedars, finds itself in Group A alongside Angola (ranked 34th) and the host nation, Spain (ranked 2nd). Group B in Valencia features Finland (ranked 20th), Poland (ranked 15th), and Bahrain (ranked 69th).
Gilas last competed in the OQT back in 2021 in Belgrade, losing both games in the group stages.
