Asian Games 2014 Basketball Schedule: Full List of Men's Fixtures and Preview
The 2014 Asian Games kicked off in Incheon, South Korea, on Friday. Basketball is destined to garner plenty of interest from both the continent and across the world, as Asian stars from 16 countries get ready to battle for gold.
U.S.-born Marcus Douthit, drafted by the L.A. Lakers and currently playing with Smart Gilas Pilipinas, will make an appearance for the Philippines after protests against his nationality were dismissed, reported by Marisse Panaligan of GMA News.
Although former Brooklyn Nets star Andray Blatche was deemed ineligible, the Philippines will be hoping to cause a stir with their former NBA man in tow.
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A complex schedule has been set, with two qualifying groups beginning play. Four of the following teams will make it into the next group stage, where the seeds wait:
| Mongolia | Saudi Arabia |
| Hong Kong | Kazakhstan |
| Kuwait | Palestine |
| Maldives | India |
The winners and second-place teams from each qualifying group will then advance into the main selection. They will join the top eight nations from the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, all of whom automatically qualified for the group stage proper.
Here's how the groups will stack up after qualifying is completed:
| China | South Korea | Iran | Japan |
| Chinese Taipei | Jordan | Philippines | Qatar |
| Group B runners-up | Group A runners-up | Group B winners | Group A winners |
A hectic schedule round-robin format will test both the fitness and skill of Asia's best basketball players in the intriguing competition. Onlookers will certainly get their fix across 13 days of action, outlined below:
| Mongolia vs. Hong Kong (QR) | 6.00 a.m./1.00 a.m. |
| Saudi Arabia vs. Kazakhstan (QR) | 6.00 a.m./1.00 a.m. |
| Kuwait vs. Maldives (QR) | 8.15 a.m./3.15 a.m. |
| Palestine vs. India (QR) | 8.15 a.m./3.15 a.m. |
| Hong Kong vs. Kuwait (QR) | 6.00 a.m./1.00 a.m. |
| Kazakhstan vs. Palestine (QR) | 6.00 a.m./1.00 a.m. |
| India vs. Saudi Arabia (QR) | 8.15 a.m./3.15 a.m. |
| Maldives vs. Mongolia (QR) | 8.15 a.m./3.15 a.m. |
| Kuwait vs. Mongolia (QR) | 6.00 a.m./1.00 a.m. |
| Palestine vs. Saudi Arabia (QR) | 6.00 a.m./1.00 a.m. |
| Hong Kong vs. Maldives (QR) | 8.15 a.m./3.15 a.m. |
| Kazakhstan vs. India (QR) | 8.15 a.m./3.15 a.m. |
| Chinese Taipei vs. B2 | 6.00 a.m./1.00 a.m. |
| Philippines vs. B1 | 6.00 a.m./1.00 a.m. |
| Jordan vs. A2 | 10.30 a.m./5.30 a.m. |
| Qatar vs. A1 | 10.30 a.m./5.30 a.m. |
| B1 vs. Iran | 6.00 a.m./1.00 a.m. |
| B2 vs. China | 6.00 a.m./1.00 a.m. |
| A1 vs. Japan | 10.30 a.m./5.30 a.m. |
| A2 vs. South Korea | 10.30 a.m./5.30 a.m. |
| China vs. Chinese Taipei | 6.00 a.m./1.00 a.m. |
| Iran vs. Philippines | 6.00 a.m./1.00 a.m. |
| Japan vs. Qatar | 10.30 a.m./5.30 a.m. |
| South Korea vs. Jordan | 10.30 a.m./5.30 a.m. |
| Quarter-final: Group G Match 1 | 6.00 a.m./1.00 a.m. |
| Quarter-final: Group H Match 1 | 6.00 a.m./1.00 a.m. |
| Quarter-final: Group G Match 2 | 10.30 a.m./5.30 a.m. |
| Quarter-final: Group H Match 2 | 10.30 a.m./5.30 a.m. |
| Quarter-final: Group G Match 3 | 6.00 a.m./1.00 a.m. |
| Quarter-final: Group H Match 3 | 6.00 a.m./1.00 a.m. |
| Quarter-final: Group G Match 4 | 10.30 a.m./5.30 a.m. |
| Quarter-final: Group H Match 4 | 10.30 a.m./5.30 a.m. |
| Quarter-final: Group G Match 5 | 7.15 a.m./2.15 a.m. |
| Quarter-final: Group H Match 5 | 7.15 a.m./2.15 a.m. |
| Quarter-final: Group G Match 6 | 11.45 a.m./6.45 a.m. |
| Quarter-final: Group H Match 6 | 11.45 a.m./6.45 a.m. |
| Semi-final: Rank 5-8 | 8.15 a.m./3.15 a.m. |
| Semi-final: Rank 5-8 | 8.15 a.m./3.15 a.m. |
| Finals: Rank 5/6 | 7.15 a.m./2.15 a.m. |
| Finals: Rank 7/8 | 7.15 a.m./2.15 a.m. |
| Semi-final | 11.45 a.m./6.45 a.m. |
| Semi-final | 11.45 a.m./6.45 a.m. |
| Bronze Medal Game | 8.00 a.m./3.00 a.m. |
| Gold Medal Game | 10.15 a.m./5.15 a.m. |
Preview
Group play will be predictably tight throughout the competition, but the likes of Hong Kong, Kuwait, Kazakhstan and India should be considered most likely to progress from the qualifying section.
Hong Kong possess real experience with the likes of Fong Shing Yee, Lo Yi Ting and Duncan Reid propping up a side that will be looking to build upon its 2014 FIBA Asia Cup performances. They could soon struggle once qualifying is over, but Hong Kong have enough to make a splash in the early stages at least.
Fong's powerful, disciplined game should see the side beyond developing outfits from Mongolia and the Maldives, both of whom will ready to grab an upset without too much pressure or expectation weighing them down. Reid will also provide Hong Kong with plenty of rebounds from the centre and can expect to shut down his competition in the opening group.
Group B appears extremely close on paper, with Kazakhstan just perhaps edging out India and Saudi Arabia as favourites to move into the main group stage as winners.
Astana star Anton Ponomarev is among those whose form will go a long way to defining how far Kazakhstan travel through the competition. If he and Dimo Klimov are given space, they are capable of catching fire at pivotal moments.
Enzo Flojo of Rappler outlines India as a "a serious force to be reckoned with" if they can nail consistency during the tournament's early stages.
Once into the main draw, 2014 FIBA Asia Cup champions Iran are sure to catch plenty of attention. Former Phoenix Suns centre Hamed Haddadi led his side to a final victory over Chinese Taipei during this year's competition and has the all-rounded quality to do so again.
Taipei will be looking to gain revenge as one of the tournament's dark horses but face a tricky task of overcoming China once their games begin.
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