FIBA Asia - No more second chances in race for Spain

MANILA (FIBA Asia Championship/FIBA Basketball World Cup) - The stars are ready to rumble in Manila on 'Quarter-Final Friday', and tickets for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain are on the line.

Yi Jianlian, Hamed Hadadi, Lin Chih-Chieh, Jerri Jonson, Wesam Al-Sous, Jeff Chan, Jarvis Hayes and Cho Sungmin led their teams with distinction through the pool games, but now it is knockout time.

For Iran that means bad memories as they once again face Jordan, the vast underdogs who derailed their speeding train at the 2011 FIBA Asia Championship.

With Jordan missing their key stars this time around an upset seems even more unlikely, particularly with the likes of Mahdi Kamrany, Samad Nikkhah Bahrami and Hadadi hell-bent on revenge since that fateful day in Wuhan.

Iran have forced 115 turnovers in six games in Manila, suggesting the poise of wily point guard Al-Sous will be critical to Jordan's chances.

That game will set up a Semi-Final date - to decide one place at the FIBA Basketball World Cup - with the victor of the Chinese Taipei v China local derby.

Taipei have lost just one game, a thriller against Qatar, averaging 84.3 points a game and playing some of the most enterprising basketball of the tournament.

In contrast, without the injured Yi, China have struggled to put points on the board against quality opposition in coach Panagiotis Giannakis' new system, relying on their stingy defense - which has not given up more than 70 points - to deliver them to the Quarter-Finals.

But with their superstar back on board, the defending champs will be a team refreshed on Friday, the ability of Taipei big men Tseng Wen-Ting and Quincy Davis III to contain Yi crucial to the result.

The Philippines rode their ferocious crowd to the top of Group E, piling in 78.5 points per night behind some staggering long-range shooting from Larry Fonacier, Ranidel de Ocampo and Chan.

The host nation will present a mighty challenge for Kazakhstan, who snuck into the Quarter-Finals without a win in the Second Round, but they will know the knee injuries to de Ocampo and Marcus Douthit bring the Smart Gilas back to the pack.

Whoever triumphs in that clash will find the winner of Korea and Qatar waiting in the Semi-Finals.

After their stunning opening-night victory over Yi and China, the Koreans have not consistently produced their best basketball, but have still done enough to finish second in Group F with a 4-1 record.

Their strength has been an even spread of scorers, with only Cho scoring in double figures but another six Koreans averaging between five and 10 points a game.

Daoud Mosa Daoud and Hayes have been the kingpins for Qatar, but as the tournament has progressed they have found more and more contributors as they have adapted to new coach Tom Wisman’s system.

Only four spots await in the FIBA Asia Championship Semi-Finals, and from there just three places are available for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

It's time for the stars to shine.

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

FIBA