3-on-3 Basketball: RP joins powerhouse Spain, Croatia in Group D

The Philippines is grouped with powerhouse Spain and Croatia in the 3-on-3 basketball competitions of the 1st Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in August.

Following the drawing of lots held last week also in Singapore, the Filipinos found themselves joining Croatia, Spain, the U.S. Virgin Islands and South Africa in Group D.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) executive director Noli Eala said it would be an uphill battle for the Filipino cagers, stressing that the draw “resulted in a very tough group for our young team."

“But it’s still a big honor for the Philippines and SBP to be in the company of the super-powers of basketball," he added.

The Virgin Islands, the homeland of San Antonio Spurs superstar Tim Duncan, will be the Filipinos’ first game on August 16, followed by Pau Gasol’s native land Spain on the 17th and Croatia, whose notable players in the past include Toni Kukoc and the late Drazen Petrovic, on the 18th.

The country then ends its preliminary campaign with an August 19 meeting with South Africa.

The SBP has yet to finalize the roster of the Mon Jose-coached RP team. Included in the line up are junior standouts Keifer Ravena, Jerome Teng, Michael Tolomia, Gello Alolino, Kevin Ferrer and Bobby "Ray-ray" Parks Jr.

Behind a team mentored by Eric Altamirano and bannered by Tolomia, the Filipinos finished fourth in the 1st Asian Youth Games held in Singapore last year. They beat Iran in the preliminaries, 27-26, and made it to the Final Four, where they lost to eventual champion China, 34-31.

In the battle for the bronze, the Filipinos lost to Korea, 33-29.

The 3-on-3 Philippine team of Joseph Emmanuel Tolentino, Arthur Dela Cruz, Samuel Joseph Marata and Philip Paredes, however, managed to salvage a silver medal in the Asian Beach Games in Bali Indonesia two years ago, bowing to India in the finals, 23-17.

The top two teams from each of the four groups will advance in the quarterfinals, while teams three and four will play for 9th to 16th place, with the rest vying for 17th to 20th spots.

Matches in the Last 8 are set on August 21. The semis and finals are scheduled on the 22nd and 23rd, respectively.

The rest of the drawing of lots saw Greece, India, New Zealand, Puerto Rico and Serbia landing in Group A; Argentina, Egypt, Lithuania, Iran and Panama in Group B and Central Africa, Israel, Singapore, Turkey and the U.S. in Group C.