JAKARTA (Indonesia) - Group A in the FIBA Asia Cup 2022 is loaded with teams with not only the hosts but also the defending champions of the competition as well. 

Australia headline the group as Asia Cup 2017 winners. The Boomers went 6-0 In Beirut and most likely are expecting to do the same here in Jakarta. It won’t be easy as they are set to face a team as solid as Jordan as early as the Group Phase. Jordan once made it to the Asia Cup Final in 2011 and have continuously been a threat to return ever since.

Saudi Arabia will also give the other teams a run for their money. Even though they haven’t played in the Asia Cup since 2013 and have only been at this stage twice since 2000, they’ve proven to be one of the most improved teams in the tournament.

Last but not least are the hosts, Indonesia. Aside from having the chance to prove themselves against the best teams in Asia & Oceania in front of their fans, Timnas will also be able to secure their spot at the FIBA Basketball World Cup - if they can make it to the Quarter-Finals here. 

Team to beat: Australia

As long as they are still the defending champions of the Asia Cup, Australia will have the biggest targets on their backs. Opposing teams whether it’s Japan, Iran, and New Zealand have proven that the Boomers aren’t completely invincible but nonetheless, they are a very tough team to beat.

The only returnee from the Asia Cup 2017 squad is Mitch McCarron, but there's a fun mix of talent and youth lined up for this title defense. In that mix are players like Thon Maker, who will be making his Asia Cup debut and is one of the biggest names at this Asia Cup, as well as promising youngsters like Sam Froling and Tyrese Proctor.

Australia might not be as experienced as you would expect to see in a team defending the Asia Cup title, but the Boomers might be able to prove that they have the talent and the heart to repeat as champions.

FIBA World Ranking, presented by NIKE

WORLD RANK	COUNTRY	ASIA RANK	CURRENT POINTS
3.	Australia	1.	691.9
39.	Jordan	8.	283.2
80.	Saudi Arabia	13.	122.8
95.	Indonesia	19.	99.5

Key matchup: Indonesia vs Saudi Arabia

This will be the first game for the Indonesia and it could mean everything for them. Aside from being Asia Cup 2022 hosts, Indonesia are also co-hosts of the upcoming World Cup. However, now that they have been eliminated from the World Cup Qualifiers, they can only secure their guaranteed spot at the World Cup by advancing to the Quarter-Finals of the Asia Cup.

The clash will mean just as much for Saudi Arabia. They’ve been away from the Asia Cup for a long while and making a statement win against the hosts in their opening game could be a major confidence booster.

Moreover, these two will have played against each other less than two weeks before this game after facing each other in Window 3 of the World Cup Qualifiers. Indonesia proved themselves capable of faving the talent to command a sizable lead - but Saudi Arabia also proved that they can comeback from large deficits.

Click here for the full schedule of Group A.

Star: Thon Maker (AUS)

Australia’s Maker is one of the players at the Asia Cup who boasts NBA experience after playing for a total of 263 games for the Milwaukee Bucks, Detroit Pistons, and Cleveland Cavaliers. The 2.16M (7’1”) center has played for the Boomers in both the World Cup 2019 and 2023 Qualifiers, but this will be the first time that he plays a full tournament with the national team.

Across those 5 games in both World Cup Qualifiers, Maker averaged 8.9 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.

Traditionally, Australia don’t rely heavily on a single player or two on their teams and Maker isn’t expected to be an exception. While his performance might not be explosive, fans can expect him to be a big part of the Boomers through this campaign.

Player(s) to Watch: Derrick Michael Xzavierro (INA)

If you are a fan of Asia Cup basketball, you can’t deny how exciting it has been to watch Derrick Michael’s development over the years. The youngster made his senior national team debut way back in Window 1 of the Asia Cup Qualifiers in February 2020 at the age of 16 years old, where he was only able to log 2 minutes of play for 2 rebounds.

Two years later, Derrick Michael returned to the national team for Window 3 of the Qualifiers and was highly impressive while averaging 30.9 minutes, 11.5 points, and 8.0 rebounds per game.

There were a lot of expectations set on the youngsters at such an early age, which can sometimes set the stage for failure. So far, however, Derrick Michael is showing every why Indonesia basketball fans were so excited about his potential in the first place. 

Player(s) to Watch: Musab Kadi (KSA) 

There were some doubts about Saudi Arabia heading into Asia Cup 2022 with the coaching change and injuries in the roster.

The play of Musab Kadi during Window 3 of the Asian Qualifiers might not have been able to wipe away those concerns completely, but were certainly able to provide Saudi Arabia fans a positive point to watch for in the upcoming games. The 22-year-old athletic forward erupted for his best game yet in Window 3 with 16 points 3 rebounds, and clutch shot-making - coincidentally in the game against Indonesia who they will face again in the opening clash. Kadi should get more looks and opportunities to put his game on display and the fans will get a better look at what he’s capable of.

Familiar face: Zaid Abbas (JOR)

In a group where the defending champions are playing in only their second Asia Cup while both Saudi Arabia (2013) and Indonesia (2011) both haven’t played in the Asia Cup for a long while, Jordan will have the edge in terms of experience.

The most experienced player in that experienced team is expected to be Zaid Abbas. The seasoned veteran will turn 39 later this year, but it’s not only his age that reflects his experience. It’s the fact that he’s played in a total of 5 Asia Cups prior to 2022, totaling for 42 games in which he’s averaged 10.5 points per contest. Abbas was a part of both the 2009 squad that won Jordan’s first ever Asia Cup medal and clinched their first World Cup appearance as well as the 2011 team that made it to the Final.

Jordan aren’t expected to depend too much on Abbas with the likes of Freddy Ibrahim, Ahmad Al Dwairi, Amin Abu Hawwas, and Dar Tucker, but it is definitely a huge advantage to have him on the court and in the locker room.

FIBA