CHN - China tipped for success

TOKUSHIMA (2007 FIBA Asia Championship) - China are expected to dominate the 24th FIBA Asia Championship for Men, but the result of the competition has larger consequences than the destination of the gold medal.

The stakes are high as the event doubles as an Olympic qualification tournament - the gold medal winners at Tokushima book their place in the 2008 Olympic basketball competition in Beijing.

But China are already there as hosts of the Games, so automatic qualification will be awarded to the runners-up should the Chinese triumph.

The next two best-placed teams - below the champions and excluding China - will go through to a further Olympic qualification tournament to be played in July 2008.

The hosts of next year's Olympic Games have won 14 of the last 16 Asia Championships, with Houston Rockets NBA star Yao Ming named MVP in each of the last three competitions.

They will, once again, be a difficult proposition and are favourites for the crown.

Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian, however, are both missing, though they should return for the Olympics.

Yi was sixth-choice in last month's NBA draft where he was picked by Milwaukee Bucks, a decision which has resulted in a stand-off as his management team and the China Basketball Association (CBA) wanted him selected by a larger city with a bigger ethnic Chinese population.

China have been drawn in Group A for the preliminary stage alongside Iran, the Philippines and Jordan, winners of a warm-up competition in Chinese Taipei - the William Jones international Championship in Chinese Taipei.

Lebanon and Qatar are expected to challenge for the medals.

Lebanon, runners-up twice in the last three competitions, retain 10 members of the squad which won silver in 2005, including Fadi El Khatib, who was named best forward two years ago, and centre Joe Vogel, who was named in the best team.

Lebanon, who were second in the William Jones event, play hosts Japan as well as United Arab Emirates - victors in the 18th Gulf Cup basketball tournament in January - after starting their Group B campaign against Kuwait on the opening day of competition.

The 2003 and 2005 bronze medallists Qatar have had mixed results in warm-up matches.

They won three out of eight games at the William Jones warm-up defeating Asia rivals Iran, Kazakhstan and Japan, but losing to South Korea, Jordan and the Philippines.

Six days before the start of the Asia Championship, Qatar drew with Jordan in Shanghai, but they name 11 of the 12 players who starred in Doha and the experience could benefit them in Tokushima.

Qatar will face Kazakhstan, India and Indonesia in Group C, while Korea will be favourites to top Group D, where they play Hong Kong, Syria and Chinese Taipei.

Matt McGheehan
FIBA