Philippines to replace New Zealand in FIBA Olympic Qualifiers

Gilas Pilipinas now has another chance to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.

FIBA announced on Friday that the Philippines will replace New Zealand in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2020 after the latter has changed its priorities to cut costs.

The Philippines was chosen because it is the "next best team from the Asia-Oceania Region in the FIBA World Ranking."

It joins host Serbia and Dominican Republic in Group A of the OQT. Italy, Puerto Rico, and Senegal are in Group B.

Gilas missed the OQT bus after failing to win a single game in the 2019 FIBA World Cup in Foshan, China.

The team lost to Serbia, Italy, and Angola in the group phase and headed to the classification matches, where it bowed out against Iran and Tunisia.

The Philippines kept its ranking spot at no. 31 after the World Cup, but it was leapfrogged by China and Korea among Asia-Oceania countries.

—Justin Kenneth Carandang/MGP, GMA News