MANILA (Enzo Flojo's Asia on My Mind) - The FIBA Asia Cup 2021 SEABA Pre-Qualifier is just around the corner, set to determine the second-best team in Southeast Asia.

Hey, if we're being completely honest - and we should - then the Philippines has been, hands down, the top performing men's basketball country among the members of SEABA. Their dominance is unquestionable, and as proof of this, they're the only SEABA team in the actual FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers.

Which, then, begs the question - if it's too tall an order to topple the Filipinos' stranglehold on SEABA, then who has the right to claim the second place spot in the region?

In last year's SEABA Men's Championship, Indonesia placed second behind the Philippines, followed by Thailand. Will the Indons and Thais remain as the top contenders in SEABA outside of the Filipinos, or will any other squad rise to the occasion and take up that mantle?

Here's a quick look at each team playing at the FIBA Asia Cup 2021 SEABA Pre-Qualifier based on the preliminary rosters they officially submitted:

BRUNEI

The last time I saw a Brunei team compete was at the U16 level when their U16 national team played in the SEABA U16 Men's Championship 2015 in Cagayan De Oro, Philippines. They finished dead last and were winless. To be quite frank, I expect the same to happen here when Brunei take to the hardwood against more seasoned foes. To compound matters, their preliminary roster is peppered with players who are in their mid-30s, and when ranged against younger, more athletic foes, these guys, I suspect, just won't be able to hack it.

CAMBODIA

The Cambodians didn't play in last year's SEABA Men's Championship, but they have been regular participants in the biennial Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, where, they've had occasional standout moments, though their best performance has been 5th place more than a decade ago. There are only three holdovers on this team from the squad that played at the SEA Games 2017, which means a lot of fresh new talent but also a lot of inexperience. On the basketball court, that can easily translate into a lot of losses.

INDONESIA

Indonesia's second-place finish in the SEABA Championship 2017 was proof of how they're a solid basketball unit. They lack a do-it-all superstar-caliber talent, and though 30-year-old naturalized player Jamarr Johnson was projected to be that, he performed less than stellar. Still, if he turns the corner this year, so can Indonesia, and with young and capable talents like Abraham Grahita, Juan Kokodiputra and Kevin Sitorus in the fold, Timnas Basket should be among the heavy favorites in this tournament. It's a pity they didn't bring Vincent Kosasih or Dodo Sitepu, though, since they could have added a lot of ceiling to this pool, as is, Firman Nugroho is their only player standing taller than 6ft 5in (1.96m). Still, results of latest "friendlies" are promising - they beat a Thai team once and India twice in a tune-up tournament at home.

MALAYSIA

Malaysia have always been a contender at the SEABA level, but this relatively youthful team may take a lot more licks than wins in this particular competition. They should give the likes of Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia a good run for their money when they play each other, especially with potentially explosive guys like Kuek Tian Yuan, Teo Kok Hou, Won Yi Hou, Ting Chun Hong and Ivan Yeo in tow. Ting, in particular, is one to watch, since the 22-year-old wingman was among the top 10 scorers in the SEABA CHampionship 2017.

SINGAPORE

Speaking of young, Singapore will have one of the youngest players in the entire tournament - V Lavin Raj - on their roster. The burly 6ft 7in (2.00m) center normed nearly 10 points and 4 rebounds in the SEABA Championship 2017, and he may take on a bigger role in this competition. Veterans Wong Wei Long, Leon Kwek, Larry Liew, Mitchell Folkoff and Delvin Goh should be this team's leaders, and if they can play at their optimal level, then Singapore could be a real threat to the favorites. Still, since the top four squads are going through to the FIBA Asia Cup 2021 Pre-Qualifiers this September, only a monumental meltdown will prevent Singapore from moving forward.

THAILAND

The Thais have the biggest officially submitted pool to this tournament, and that's a testament to their seriousness in putting their best foot forward. Most intriguing is the inclusion of Thai-American Justin Bassey in the mix. He led the Thais to a memorable upset of the Philippines in the FIBA U18 Asia Championships 2016, and he looks to play a major role for the national team in the foreseeable future. Relatively youthful standouts Teerawat Chanthachon, Patiphan Klahan and Sorot Sunthonsiri could also be called up to the final roster, while they have the luxury of choosing between two naturalized players - Frederick Lish and Tyler Lamb. With a full and healthy roster, Thailand should be the favorites to top this tournament and breeze through to the next level of the Pre-Qualifiers.

At the end of the day, taking stock of everything, it's clear that Indonesia and Thailand are a cut above the rest, while Malaysia and Singapore should have enough firepower to knock off overmatched Cambodia and Brunei.

Enzo Flojo

FIBA

FIBA's columnists write on a wide range of topics relating to basketball that are of interest to them. The opinions they express are their own and in no way reflect those of FIBA.

FIBA takes no responsibility and gives no guarantees, warranties or representations, implied or otherwise, for the content or accuracy of the content and opinion expressed in the above article.