IT'S like the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers all over again.
Gilas Pilipinas ended up being grouped with New Zealand and Chinese Taipei for the tournament's main draw slated this August in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The formal drawing of lots was held on Tuesday at the Saudi Arabian port city.
The Philippines, New Zealand, and Chinese Taipei were drawn together in Group D along with Iraq.
The Filipinos, Tall Blacks, and Taiwanese battled each other - together with Hong Kong - in Group B during the qualifiers that run for more than a year.
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New Zealand and Gilas emerged as the top two teams in the group and earned outright berths to the main draw. Chinese Taipei, on the other hand, still needed to go through the final qualifiers to earn its own spot.
The other groupings saw two-time champion Australia, Japan, and China leading their respective brackets.
The Boomers are with South Korea, Lebanon, and Qatar in Group A in what could be the toughest bracket in the tournament.
The Akatsuki Japan on the other hand, are in Group B together with Syria, Iran, and Guam, featuring San Miguel Beer guard Jericho Cruz.
Team Dragon, India, the host country, and Jordan led by Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, are bunched together in Group C.
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Teams which will top their respective groups will earn outright quarterfinal tickets, while the second and third teams to finish in each group will go through a crossover play-in to make it to the next round.
During the qualifiers, Gilas Pilipinas split its head-to-head meetings with New Zealand and Chinese Taipei.
The Filipinos thwarted the Tall Blacks at the Mall of Asia last November, 92-88, but lost to the team in Auckland, 87-70, during the February window.
Gilas routed Chinese Taipei in their first meeting at the Philsports Arena, 106-53, in February 2024, before the Taiwanese got their payback at home a year after behind a 91-84 win.(RG)
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