MANILA (22nd FIBA Asia Champions Cup) - Al Ittihad of Saudi Arabia and Iraqi champions Duhok have been drafted in to complete the fray at the upcoming 22nd FIBA Asia Champions Cup to be played in the Filipino capital between 28 May and 5 June.

Ittihad, winners of the 2001 FIBA Asia Champions Cup in Dubai, will come in to replace the Japanese representative who withdrew due to the recent disaster in Japan.

Duhok, who finished 10th at the 2010 FIBA Asia Champions Cup in Doha, will come in for the team from Middle Asia.

“These two teams were invited keeping in mind their reputation for promoting professional basketball,” said FIBA Asia Secretary General Dato’ Yeoh Choo Hock.

“Our aim is to have a fairly balanced and completely competitive event. In the past too, we have given similar wild cards keeping mind the need for a competitive event."

Syrian representative known on 12 May

Meanwhile, WABA sources confirmed that a decision on the participation of Syrian club Al Jala’a as a representative of WABA will be decided only after the WABA board meeting on 12 May.

Al Jala’a forfeited the fifth and final game of the WABA League Finals to Al Riyadi Beirut of Lebanon recently raising question marks about their participation in Manila.

“All options are open. But the final decision is up to the WABA board,” a top WABA official told this website.

Preliminary Round Groupings

Group A
ASU (JOR)
KL Dragons (MAS)
Al Ittihad (KSA)
Duhok (IRQ)
Smart Gilas (PHI)

Group B
Al Riyadi Beirut (LIB)   
Al Rayyan (QAT)
Al Shabab (UAE)
Mahram (IRI)
Syria

FIBA Asia