FIBA Asia - Championship and ticket to Spain on the line on final day

MANILA (FIBA Asia Championship/FIBA Basketball World Cup) - A place at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup is on the line when Chinese Taipei and Korea meet in today's Third-Place Game of the FIBA Asia Championship.

While Iran and the Philippines may have already claimed their tickets for Spain 2014, they will face off for the title of Asia's best team in the Championship Game.

After a blistering opening quarter where they led 23-14, Taipei simply had no answer for Iran's pressure in the Semi-Final, splintering after six games where their team play had been a feature.

"The biggest thing for us in this tournament has been trust," said coach Hsu Chin-Tse.

"Trusting teammates to do their roles, trusting that we have what it takes to come back."

The tournament's highest scoring team until that point, Taipei will be looking to their perimeter players to show more composure and feed star big men Quincy Davis III and Tseng Wen-Ting.

Korea's defensive focus is more about half-court containment though, and for periods of the game they were able to subdue the usually free-flowing Philippines offense in their Semi-Final.

The Koreans played their most attacking offensive game of the tournament against the hosts, their big men using their speed both in transition and in the half-court to exploit slower opponents.

With Davis a dominant force inside that battle of size vs speed could be crucial.

It will be a similar story in the gold medal game, especially if Philippines centre Marcus Douthit is unable to recover from this knee injury.

Iran's early plan to slow the game against Taipei backfired, however, so expect a fast-paced game with both teams backing their ability to execute in transition.

While the Philippines will be desperate to claim their first FIBA Asia Championship since 1986, Iran coach Memi Becirovic made it clear his team is determined to show they are world class.

"With this team, with the defense we have, we can play any team in the world," he said.

"If we keep up working like this in Asia, improving the defense, we can have an Asian team in the first eight of the World Cup."

But the Philippines also came to this tournament with more than just qualifying for the FIBA Basketball World Cup on their mind, coach Chot Reyes making clear earlier that only winning the title for their passionate fans would do.

"I'm still not happy, we can be happy on August 11," he said.

Their day has come.

For full and in-depth coverage of the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship, go to the official website http://manila2013.fibaasia.net.

FIBA