FIBA Asia 2013: Top Players to Watch in Quarterfinals from Philippines

Only eight teams remain in the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship as tournament play heads to the quarterfinals on Friday, Aug. 9. 

With three bids for the FIBA World Cup on the line, the knockout stages are where everyone steps up their game. Now that the action is truly win or go home, this is the portion of the tourney where we will see the biggest stars on the Asian basketball scene put their team on their back. 

These are the top talents to watch as they attempt to lead their team to the semifinals and into the FIBA World Cup. All statistics from FIBA.com unless otherwise noted. 

Yi Jianlian—China

Yi Jianlian's NBA career may have failed to live up to the hype, but watching him play on the international level reminds us why the hype was there to begin with. The 7-footer is the best player on a loaded Chinese team that also features former NBA center Zhizhi Wang. 

Yi has only played in two games for China thus far, but now that the games mean more he should be completely unleashed. 

In the only game in which Yi saw 30 minutes or more, he put up an impressive double-double in China's 63-59 loss to South Korea. Yi's 23 points made him the only Chinese player with double-digit points. 

With his team depending on him to get past Chinese Taipei (Taiwan), expect Yi to showcase his shooting touch and athleticism that had NBA teams believing he could be the next big thing. 

Jarvis Hayes—Qatar

With 90 points in five games, Jarvis Hayes leads all scorers in the tournament. 

The former Georgia Bulldog and NBA journeyman has caught on to the international game. He is the go-to option for the Qataris and has responded by scoring from all over the field. He's shooting 47.3 percent from the field and 43.5 percent beyond the arc. 

He's been an asset on the boards, too. He's second on the team in rebounds per game at 6.0. 

His ability to score in bunches will be huge. He rallied Qatar in the final minutes of its game against Japan, hitting the game-clinching free throw with just 5.4 seconds. 

Whether or not he can take Qatar to the World Cup with his ability to take over late in games is a development worth watching. Qatar will take on Korea in the quarters. They were 4-1 in group play. 

Hamed Haddadi—Iran

Coming off of his recent release from the Phoenix Suns, Hamed Haddadi is certainly doing what he can to prove that he belongs back in the Association. Playing against some good big men in this tournament, he has stood out as the best with 17.2 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. 

Haddadi has shined even against the top teams in the tournament. He put up his best numbers against Korea with 30 points, 13 rebounds and a blocked shot in 30 minutes. 

Getting great play from the big man will be key for the Iranians. They have made it through the tournament unscathed to this point and should be a favorite. 

The potential matchup between Haddadi and Yi Jianlian in the semifinals could be the best individual matchup of the entire tourney.