MANILA (Enzo Flojo's Asia on My Mind) - The crucial second round of the Asian Qualifiers begins today, and here are some of the players to watch for each position!

What makes these second round games high stakes is that each result has a magnified effect on the teams' chances of qualifying for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 in China, and because of that, the following players' performances will be key in determining the fates of their respective teams.

Center - Hamed Haddadi (Iran)

The Iranian behemoth continues to be a supremely dominant force in the middle for Team Melli, and any opponent they face will have to craft a defensive scheme just to try and slow Haddadi down. He has averaged around 17 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks and 2 steals per game, and he is certainly a top-of-mind concern for the Philippines and Japan in this window.

Honorable Mention:
Ater Majok (Lebanon) - Lebanon have their work cut out for them as they take on both China and New Zealand in this window, which means a lot of pressure on Ater Majok to hold his own in the paint.
Ahmad Al Dwairi (Jordan) - The 25-year-old big man was worth the wait for Jordan in the previous window, putting up 19 points and 7 boards per game, and he will continue to be an impact player for them here.

Power Forward - Christian Standhardinger (Philippines)

 The Filipino-German power forward will be the Philippines' choice for naturalized player in this window, and if his performance at last year's FIBA Asia Cup is any indication, then he should give the Filipinos great production around the basket. At 6ft 9in (2.07m), Standhardinger has great size for his position, and his mobility and versatility make him a highly effective power forward.

Honorable Mention:
Arsalan Kazemi (Iran) - This guy doesn't have to score much for Iran to win. He does all the dirty work - rebounding, scrambling for loose balls, playing great defense - and he does it so so well.
Isaac Fotu (New Zealand) - The 6ft 8in (2.03m) Fotu remains a steady rock for the Tall Blacks, and he will need to be at his peak form as the Kiwis face Syria and Lebanon in this window.

Small Forward - Yuta Watanabe (Japan)

 The 6ft 9in (2.05m) product of George Washington University is finally going to see action in the Asian Qualifiers, and his debut has been one of the most awaited for Japanese fans. He should form a crazy good forward tandem with Rui Hachimura, especially with his length, mobility and ability to guard multiple positions.

Honorable Mention:
Samad Nikkhah Bahrami (Iran) - This seasoned veteran continues to give Iran not just experience but a lot of production through his scoring and playmaking.
Jeon JunBeom (Korea) - JunBeom was a great performer for Korea in the recent Asian Games, and his three-point shooting, in particular, is something they will lean on as they begin their team's post-Hur-Jae era.

Shooting Guard - Amir Saoud (Lebanon)

 This Lebanese fireball is perhaps the most explosive shooter in all of Asia right now. I mean, he averages 5.0 triples per contest, after all! Needless to say, both China and New Zealand need to keep him in check if they hope to inflict some losses on the Cedars.

Honorable Mention:
Marcio Lassiter (Philippines) - Filipino fans are ecstatic with Lassiter's return to the national team, and for good reason since he is arguably the best shooting guard in the Philippines right now.
Trey Johnson (Qatar) - Much of Qatar's chances will be hinged on how well Johnson plays in this window. They can ill-afford more than one loss in the second round, so Johnson has to be at his very best.

Point Guard - Guo Ailun (China)

 China's top floor general is back in the fold here at the Asian Qualifiers, and his main task will be trying to nullify the production of Lebanon's Amir Saoud. Of course, that's easier said than done, and Guo, despite all his talent and bluster, will need to exert maximum effort if they want a critical road win over the Lebanese.

Honorable Mention:
Tai Webster (New Zealand) - This Auckland native continues to be the Tall Blacks' most explosive backcourt player, and he will use his uncanny offensive talents to help New Zealand get wins number 6 and 7 against West Asia sides Syria and Lebanon.
Jason Cadee (Australia) - With Matthew Dellavedova no longer around to quarterback Australia in this window, the onus once again is on Cadee to step up. He should be up to the task, given how he has averaged around 6 points a 5 assists per game to along with a mind-boggling 14.5 assist-to-turnover ratio!

Enzo Flojo

FIBA

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