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Is the Philippines capable of being the biggest positive surprise in the 2023 FIBA World Cup? The official Media Projections Survey run by FIBA believes so.
The Philippines were given a 22.2% chance of being the biggest positive surprise. Canada finished second on this list with only 9.9% of the votes.
The Philippines has something that nobody else in the tournament does, which is the home-court advantage. Going into the group stage, this could be of tremendous value, especially in tight games.
Team Philippines has a strong roster that could make a run. Here is their complete roster:
- #4 Kiefer Ravena
- #6 Jordan Clarkson
- #8 Scottie Thompson
- #11 Kai Zachary Sotto
- #13 Jamie James Malonzo
- #15 June Mar Fajardo
- #16 Roger Pogoy
- #17 CJ Perez
- #23 Rhenz Abando
- #24 Dwight Ramos
- #25 Japeth Aguilar
- #34 Ariel John Edu
Team Philippines projected starting five and sixth man at the 2023 FIBA World Cup
Team Philippines will have to rely on their speed and agility to steal wins in the group stage. If they can get out on the run behind the support from the court, it could lead to a victory and before you know it, they could move to the next round or even the quarter-finals.
Let's look at what their starting lineup could look like for the FIBA group stage:
- G – Jordan Clarkson
- G – Scottie Thompson
- F – Dwight Ramos
- F – Japeth Aguilar
- C – Kai Sotto
- Sixth Man - Jamie Molonzo
Their best players on the court would likely be Jordan Clarkson and Kai Sotto. For the Philippines to advance through the FIBA tournament, both of them would have to put up special performances.
The bigs including Japeth Aguilar, Kai Sotto, and Jamie Molonzo will likely have a huge role to fill as well. They will be especially important when going up against Karl-Anthony Towns and the Dominican Republic.
Player Spotlight: Jordan Clarkson
Jordan Clarkson recently arrived in the Philippines and had this to say to reporters:
“I think we’ve got the chance to do some things. Seeing the love people have for basketball there, I wouldn't be surprised if every game is sold out. It's going to be really loud there, and everybody is going to feel that love and support when you walk around the city, while playing games."
While Clarkson is positive about going into the group stage, there will be a lot of pressure on his shoulders. He is the heart and soul of this team moving forward and will likely be the reason why they win or lose.
Who is the Team Philippines coach for the men's national basketball team?
Vincent "Chot" P. Reyes is the coach for the Philippines basketball team in the FIBA World Cup 2023. He is a five-time Philippine Basketball Association Coach of the Year award recipient.
Vincent Reyes began coaching the Philippines national basketball team in 2005. In 2013, he led his team to a historic silver medal at the FIBA Asia Championship. They finished runner-up after losing to Iran in the finals.
After this, they got a wild card invitation into the 2014 FIBA World Cup, the country's first appearance in 36 years. However, they did not advance past the group stage after having a 1-4 record.
This year, the Philippines will look to avenge their loss under the leadership of Vincent Reyes.
