The Top 5 Rising Stars from the Asian Qualifiers
MANILA (Enzo Flojo's Asia on My Mind) - The Asian Qualifiers saw some brilliant performances from many individuals, and among these were a handful of the continent's brightest rising stars.
In this week's column, I'll look at five up-and-coming Asian players who really left a strong impression in the first window of the Asian Qualifiers. These are five guys we all have to watch as their teams move forward in their efforts to make it to the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 in China.
Sun Minghui (China) 
Key Stats: 16.0 points, 3.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.5 triples per game; 69% FG shooting
In a time when much of the attention was on CBA Most Valuable Player Ding Yanyuhang and big man Wang Zhelin, relative unknown Sun Minghui rose to the occasion. The 1.87m shooting guard stepped up big time, especially against long-time rivals Korea, scoring 21 points as China notched a huge road win in Goyang. If Sun continues to play like this, then he looks to be a prime candidate to be the top choice at the 2 spot for China's national team.
Jeon JunBeom (Korea) 
Key Stats: 15.0 points, 2.5 assists, 1.0 steals, 4.0 triples per game; 55% FG shooting
Jeon turned a lot of heads when he sank 5 three-pointers in Korea's road win over New Zealand. The 1.95m wingman tossed in a team-high 22 points in that resounding win that buoyed Korea's chances to advance to the next round. He cooled off when Korea lost at home to China, but it's clear that when the 26-year-old shooter catches fire, Korea are going to be very tough to beat.
Hassan Abdullah (Iraq) 
Key Stats: 21.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.5 steals, 4.0 triples per game
Abdullah is maybe the least heralded player on this list, but that doesn't mean he can't hang with the big boys. On the contrary, the 1.88m guard showcased extra sharp shooting form as Iraq bucked the odds in a big win over Iran, and he continued to find the bottom of the net in their next game against Kazakhstan, where he recorded 27 points on the strength of 5 triples. Some may say he's a little trigger-happy, but his potency from long distance makes his volume shooting worth it.
Jordan Ngatai (New Zealand) 
Key Stats: 18.0 points, 4.0 triples per game; 64% FG shooting
Ngatai is built like a rock, but he plays with the grace of a fox. He didn't see action in the Tall Blacks' loss to Korea - and perhaps coach Paul Henare may have regretted that decision - but he was splendid in New Zealand's road triumph against Hong Kong. The 1.95m combo forward was quite efficient in that fixture, tossing in 18 points on 7-of-11 field goal shooting while also grabbing 2 rebounds. His outside shooting was on target, too, as the 24-year-old sank 4 triples. He will surely be a solid choice at the 3 spot for the Tall Blacks for years to come.
Kiefer Ravena (Philippines)
1# Kiefer Ravena of the Philippines competes against Chen Kuan-Chuan of Chinese Taipei during their Group B first round match in the FIBA World Cup 2019 Qualifiers in Quezon City, the Philippines. The Philippines won, 90-83 pic.twitter.com/6QsMtFMUKg
— Xinhua Hindi News (@xinhua_hindi) November 28, 2017
Key Stats: 5.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists per game
Yes, Ravena's numbers may not jump out at you at once, but his effect on the play of Gilas Pilipinas goes beyond the stat-sheet. On this team, the 24-year-old guard is a spitfire whose main goal is to bring energy on the floor for the Filipinos' second unit. His play in the Philippines' shaky match with Chinese Taipei was crucial in giving his squad momentum, and coach Chot Reyes's trust in him is just proof that he is the real deal. His ability to score and make plays for his teammates can only mean very good things for the future of Gilas Pilipinas. He has a heckuva long time to continue developing into the leader that the Southeast Asian nation needs to take them back to the World Cup.
Enzo Flojo
FIBA
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