FIBA Asia Champions Cup 2017 Quarter-Finals Preview

CHENZHOU (FIBA Asia Champions Cup 2017) - The knockout Quarter-Finals will sift the good from the great in the FIBA Asia Champions Cup 2017, and it all begins tomorrow.

PETROCHIMI IRAN vs TAIPEI DACIN TIGERS
The Iranians faltered in their first game of the tournament, but it appears that was exactly what they needed to get a dose of reality. Now they haven't lost a beat, and the next stop on their road to the Final is marked Dacin. The Tigers from Taipei have been pretty impressive despite not having anyone from their national team backstop the roster. Foreign player Sim Bhullar has been a rock-solid complement to the team's vaunted perimeter game. Make no mistake, however, Petrochimi are the heavy favorites here.

BC ASTANA vs SHABAB AL AHLI DUBAI
Astana were not considered pre-tournament title contenders, but the heightened play of their foreign reinforcements has propped them up all the way to first place in Group A. With Justin Carter and Anthony Clemmons firing on all cylinders, the Kazakh quintet have been on a roll, and there are no clear and present danger signs against an Emirati squad that nearly blew it against ONGC India. Unless Carter and Clemmons totally miss everything they throw up, Astana should move on to the Semi-Final.

CHINA KASHGAR vs CHOOKS-TO-GO PHILIPPINES
Well, this is going to be a little awkward. Naturalized Filipino slotman Andray Blatche got back in time for their game against Al Riyadi, but he will almost certainly be a bit more productive against the team being handled by his national team head coach. Now, Blatche has not been on a team with any of the Chooks-To-Go players, but he's still one of the faces of Gilas Pilipinas. That all means it'll be interesting to see how he will approach this win-or-go-home matchup. His team are going to be clear favorites here, and the only way they get bounced is if the combo of Isaiah Austin and Kiefer Ravena really tear up the stadium.

AL RIYADI LEBANON vs MONO VAMPIRE THAILAND
The Lebanese side have been playing like they're on a mission, and that's one big reason they're unbeaten heading into the Quarter-Finals. On the other end, the Thais have sputtered ever since they pulled off a great Day 1 upset, and chances are they will fall on the wrong side of endgame result anew. Even if Justin Brickman rediscovers his sharp scoring and playmaking form, Mono Vampire are going to be significant underdogs to Al Riyadi, who are hell bent on dethroning the Chinese and regaining their place at the summit of Asian club competition.

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