Gilas takes on South Sudan in FIBA World Cup classification phase as race for Olympics continues

The Olympics dream continues for Gilas Pilipinas.

The Filipinos will look to push forward its bid for a 2024 Paris Olympics slot as it collides against South Sudan on Thursday in the classification phase of the 2023 FIBA World Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The two squads will slug it out at 8 p.m. to wrap up the double-header as Angola takes on China in the opening salvo at 4 p.m.

The game, despite no longer having any bearing in the World Cup proper aside from sorting out the rankings of the already eliminated teams, remains just as important for the Philippines and other Asian teams as they attempt to secure a place in the Paris Games next year.

Only one ticket is allocated for Asia in this tournament as well as Africa and Oceania while the Americas and Europe get two slots each.

And the Philippines is looking to get that Olympic ticket outright and not have to go through another series of games in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in the following months.

But the job doesn't get easier for the hosts.

They will take on a South Sudan side who, despite competing in their first-ever World Cup, made a great run after beating the Chinese team with a statement 89-69 victory last Monday and coming close against Puerto Rico in an overtime loss, 101-96.

South Sudan's losses to Serbia and Puerto Rico in Group B forced them to bow out of contention, however. Chicago Bulls guard Carlik Jones has been its leader in the past three games, averaging 19.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 7.7 assists.

Aside from Jones, South Sudan also features two players with NBA experience in Wenyen Gabriel and Marial Shayok, who is the team's top rebounder with 4.7 per game. Sunday Dech, who was Kai Sotto's teammate with the Adelaide 36ers in the NBL, is also part of the squad.

Jordan Clarkson is tipped to carry the load once more for the Filipinos as the Utah Jazz star is leading the team in points and assists with 24.0 markers and 6.7 dimes through three games. But he will need a lot of help in order to beat South Sudan.

Young star AJ Edu is the team's primary rebounder with 6.3 boards a game as Dwight Ramos and the likes of six-time PBA MVP June Mar Fajardo, 7-foot-3 wunderkind Kai Sotto, and gunner RR Pogoy are also expected to step up.

The Philippines' last appearance in the men's basketball competition in the Olympics was in 1972 in Munich, Germany,  with players like Freddie Webb, Danny Florencio, Bogs Adornado, Jun Papa, Manny Paner, Yoyong Martirez, Tembong  Melencio, Narciso Bernardo, and Jimmy Mariano bannering the squad.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News