Team Pilipinas battles Jordan in Jones Cup 2009 opener on July 18

The Powerade-Team Pilipinas found itself in an early head-on collision with Jordan, one of the region’s powerhouse teams, in the William R. Jones Cup men’s basketball tournament on July 18 at Sinjhuang Stadium in Taipei.

The Filipinos collide with Jordan, the winner of the past two editions of the event, at 3 p.m. in the nine-nation, 10-team tournament most of the participating teams are using as a tune-up event for the International Basketball Federation (Fiba)-Asia Men’s Championship in Tianjin, China, next month.

Iran and Kazakhstan face off in the opener at 11 a.m. followed by the Taiwan B-South Africa match at 1 p.m.

The South Korea-Lebanon tussle follows the RP 5-Jordan game before the formal opening ceremony and the Taiwan A-Japan game at 7:30 p.m.

The Nationals, mentored by Yeng Guiao, face Taiwan A on July 19 at 7 p.m., then test the mettle of the Jackson Vroman-powered Lebanon national squad the following day at 3 p.m.

The next two games will be critical for the Philippine squad as it meets Japan on July 21 and South Korea the next day. The country is bracketed with these nations in Group A in the Fiba-Asia tournament along with Sri Lanka.

Iran, the 2007 Fiba-Asia champion, challenges the Filipino dribblers on July 23 at 1 p.m. South Africa, the newest entry in the annual cagefest, tests the mettle of the Filipinos the following day at 1 p.m.

The country’s last two assignments are Kazakhstan on July 25 at 3 p.m. and Taiwan B on the final day of the tournament at 5 p.m.

The top team after the single-round eliminations will be declared as champion.

Guiao is looking forward to the Jones Cup because it will gauge the team’s preparedness for Tianjin. The tournament will also give the national mentor the chance to select the final 12 players for his lineup.

The Philippines won this tournament thrice—1981, 1985 and 1998.

Guiao won’t divulge the team’s battle plan for the tournament.

“We may be scouting the teams there but chances are we could be also scouted by them. Uso pa naman sa international basketball ang magtaguan,” Guiao said in a previous interview.

With just a month left before the Fiba World Championship qualifier, Guiao has set team practices thrice weekly.

Six-foot-nine, 210-lb forward Japeth Aguilar has already joined the team and suited up in a game against the all-American Soldiers for Christ team last week where the former Western Kentucky University debuted with eight points, six rebounds, four blocked shots and a steal in 24 minutes in a 100-94 win.

Guiao also has some manpower problems, with some players still nursing injuries and several others still playing for their respective teams in the ongoing Fiesta Conference finals in the Philippine Basketball Association.