THE showdown with Gilas Pilipinas may be three days away, yet Kyle Anderson and China are already looking forward to a very competitive and intense game in the FIBA World Cup.
The collision between the two Asian arch-rivals was set late Wednesday night after the Team Dragons lost to Puerto Rico, 107-89, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum and relegated the Chinese in the classification phase.
IT'S SET: Gilas to face China, South Sudan in classification phase
Anderson expects a playoff-type atmosphere at the Big Dome given the traditional rivalry between the Filipinos and Chinese, more so with a shot at the lone Olympic berth next year in Paris at stake.
“It’s going to be an intense environment. They’re a really good team. They’ve got some good players over there,” said Anderson, who goes by his Chinese name Kaier Li.
“(They) have the crowd on their side. It’s gonna be a tough, but fun environment.”
China’s third straight loss pushed it to the bottom of Group B and will join South Sudan from its group along with the Philippines and Angola from Group A in the classification round that kicks off on Thursday.
Team Dragon will first play Angola in Group M, before taking on Gilas on Sept. 2.
Gilas on the other hand, faces South Sudan on Thursday following the China-Angola match.
It's the first meeting between Gilas and Team Dragon since the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia when China prevailed, 82-80, in a game that marked Jordan Clarkson's debut for the Philippine men's team.
The Saturday match also meant Anderson meeting fellow NBA player Clarkson in a marquee showdown.
The two goes a long way back, having been played against each other in college, according to the 29-year-old Anderson, a product of UCLA and who plays for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
“Been playing against him since college. So it’s always fun to go up against him, and that’s one of my friends off the court. So it’s fun to compete,” he said.
Anderson finished with nine points and three rebounds in the loss against Puerto Rico.
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