ASTANA - Complications abound but Gilas Pilipinas is focusing just to win its game against Kazakhstan at 8:30 p.m. here Sunday (10:30 p.m. in Manila) with the hope of making the grade for the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China.
It's in a precarious position in the fight for the Top Four in Group F, and there's a lot of complications in a scramble for the "best fourth position" against the other contenders from the other group.
But Gilas coach Yeng Guiao insists they're focusing on the thing that they have control over with. And that's their game against Kazakhstan.
"With respect to qualifying, you can only focus on what you can control. Di natin kontrolado yung ibang factors. Wala na tayong magagawa, wala na tayong pakialam sa ibang teams. We can only hope and pray after taking our own responsibility," said Guiao ahead of their match versus the Kazakhs at Republican Velodrome Saryarka.
What would give the Nationals a sure entry into the World Cup is winning their game against the Kazakhs, and either Lebanon or Jordan drops their games against Korea and New Zealand, respectively.
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Another path to the world joust is a three-way tie in Group F at second to fourth places with Iran and Japan. But that would entail a win by the Philippines over Kazakhstan and losses by both Iran and Japan to Australia and Qatar, respectively.
"But we can only hope and pray after taking our own responsibility," said Guiao. (SB)
