Preview: Boomers, Korea set to tip-off exciting window

BEIRUT (Lebanon) - The FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers tips off with the games in Groups A, B, and C.

Hopefully, it's not too cliché to say that every game is a big one. But it does feel that way as every team wants to get out ahead with a win to start things off.

 

 

Here's how each of the Groups looks like.

Group A

		GAMES				GAME POINTS					POINTS
#	Team	P	W	L	%	For	Agt	+/-	FA	AA
1	Thailand	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2	Australia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Korea	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	Indonesia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Group B

		GAMES				GAME POINTS					POINTS
#	Team	P	W	L	%	For	Agt	+/-	FA	AA
1	Chinese Taipei	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2	Hong Kong, China	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Philippines	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	New Zealand	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Group C

		GAMES				GAME POINTS					POINTS
#	Team	P	W	L	%	For	Agt	+/-	FA	AA
1	China	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2	Guam	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Japan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	Mongolia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

22 February 2023

Australia vs Korea - 18:30 (GMT +11) - Bendigo, AUS
Japan vs Guam - 19:05 (GMT +9) - Tokyo, JPN
Chinese Taipei vs New Zealand - 19:00 (GMT +8) - Taipei, TPE
China vs Mongolia - 19:30 (GMT +8) - Xi'an, CHN
Thailand vs Indonesia - 19:00 (GMT +7) - Bangkok, THA
Hong Kong, China vs Philippines - 20:00 (GMT +8) - Hong Kong, HKG

We're spoiled in the Asia Cup Qualifiers. Right from the start, early in the day from Bendigo, we have a big game between Australia and Korea and it only gets spicier from there, including a rivalry game between Thailand and Indonesia.

Happy opening day, folks. 

25 February 2023

New Zealand vs Hong Kong, China - 16:30 (GMT +13) - Auckland, NZL
Japan vs China - 14:00 (GMT +9) - Tokyo, JPN
Korea vs Thailand - 15:00 (GMT +9) - Wonju, KOR
Mongolia vs Guam - 15:00 (GMT +8) - Ulaanbaatar, MGL
Philippines vs Chinese Taipei - 19:30 (GMT +8) - Pasig, PHI
Indonesia vs Australia - 20:00 (GMT +7) - Jakarta, INA

If you think the excitement will fizzle down in the second Gameday for these groups, you are very much mistaken. You have arguably the biggest matchup of the Asia Cup Qualifiers with Japan going up against China in Tokyo - it doesn't get much better than that, does it?

Game to Watch

We've detailed here why the game between Japan and China is a huge one. If you haven't already checked that out, please do.

 

Player(s) to Watch

Yuki Kawamura (JPN) is one of the most electric players in Asia right now. It's always a joy to watch him play, as should be the case in Window 1 once again.

Don't blink!

Returning Star(s)

The Qualifiers provide a great opportunity for some national team players to make a return as well. Whether it's returning from an injury, returning into form, or any reason of absence, it's always nice to see a familiar face back in the scene.

Lee JungHyun (KOR) had already made his national team debut back in the World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers. Now he's back and is in MVP-contending form in the Korean Basketball League (KBL). There should be opportunities for him to step up as a key offensive option as well.

Another player that fans haven't seen in a while is Abudushalamu Abudurexiti (CHN). The 27-year-old was an exciting part of China through the World Cup 2019 Qualifiers and played sparingly in that World Cup, but since then, he hasn't seen much action. His return here has him as one of the more experienced players on the squad and his form in the CBA suggests that he should be able to do well.

It's always fun to see Lester Prosper (INA) back in a "Timnas" jersey, too! Prosper was a force for Indonesia through the Asia Cup 2022 Qualifiers and Indonesia might need him to be a force once again in Window 1.

PS: It hasn't been too long since Justin Brownlee (PHI) was in a Gilas jersey, but their fans certainly always love to see him back in that kit nonetheless.

Debut to Watch

While the familiar faces are fun, it's always just as entertaining to see new names pop up on the radar. That first game playing for the national team is always a special one as all players can attest and we're looking forward to seeing some special things from these debutants.

Mongolia - as in the entire team - are playing in their first-ever Asia Cup Qualifiers. The Pre-Qualifiers were their first FIBA competition and they already made an impression for how fun of a team they can be. The entire country of Mongolia will certainly be looking forward to this debut when they play against China.

Another debut worth anticipating and checking out is Josh Harrellson's first time playing for AKATSUKI JAPAN. Harrellson is a seasoned veteran that has played in the NBA and has played in Japan for many years already, which means that there will be plenty of people waiting to see how he does.

Promising Prospects

How about the young guns though?! There are a lot of young players lined up and ready to make a name for themselves but here are some that you might want to focus in particular from the teams in action on February 22.

Rocco Zikarsky (AUS) is one of the biggest prospects across all of the Continental Cup Qualifiers even though he'll only be eligible for the draft in 2025. The young Australian big man is not only highly regarded because of his size, but also because of how well he utilizes that size, too.

 

Likewise, Yang Hansen (CHN) is another big man that has been garnering a lot of attention ever since playing in the youth competitions leading up to this potential senior national team debut. His basketball IQ and passing ability has been his calling card, even in the CBA, and now he has the chance to showcase whether it can be translated at the national team level.

Completing the trifecta of young studs is Yuto Kawashima (JPN) who has been primed for a senior national team debut since last year. Getting the green light from coach Tom Hovasse to be among the final 12 must mean that there's something he wants the U16 Asia Cup 2022 MVP to showcase… and that's what we'll all be keeping an eye out for.

World Ranking

(last updated: 10 Sep 2023)

WORLD RANK	COUNTRY	CURRENT POINTS	+/- RANK *
4.	Australia	755.8	-1
26.	Japan	432.2	+11
29.	China	420.4	-1
38.	Philippines	340.6	+2
51.	Korea	243.5	-13
74.	Indonesia	123.1	+11
76.	Guam	121.4	+3
78.	Chinese Taipei	120.7	-9
91.	Thailand	100.4	+3
100.	Mongolia	86.4	+4
105.	Malaysia	81.7	+4
110.	Kuwait	75.7	+10
119.	Hong Kong, China	66.5	-7

FIBA