HANGZHOU – Gilas Pilipinas will have one less potential rival in the 19th Asian Games following the last-minute withdrawal of Lebanon.
Wael Arakji, Omari Spellman, Amir Saoud, and the rest of the Cedars will no longer compete in the 2023 staging of the quadrennial showcase due to what the team referred to as ‘injuries to its players.’
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Although the Philippines and Lebanon were not grouped together, there was a possibility of the two teams clashing deep in the tournament.
Hong Kong featuring veteran Duncan Reid, who suited up for the Bay Area Dragons in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup last season, will take the place of the Cedars in Group B featuring Chinese Taipei, Mongolia, and defending champion China.
Gilas Pilipinas on the other hand, is in Group C with Bahrain, Thailand, and Jordan.
The rest of the groupings have Iran, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates in Group A, and Indonesia, Qatar, South Korea, and Paris Olympics-bound Japan.
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