Gilas Pilipinas vs. Iran: Time, Live Stream for 2015 William Jones Cup

When Gilas Pilipinas faces Iran on Wednesday, the result will have major implications for this year's William Jones Cup as the tournament's most important matchup to date. The Iranians, fresh off a surprising 81-66 loss to the United States, currently sit atop the event's standings at 4-1, but three other teams have just one loss as well, including 3-1 Gilas Pilipinas.

Russia is currently 4-1, while Chinese Taipei A (Blue) is also 3-1.

The game will be be played at 1 p.m. local time in Taiwan (1 a.m. ET) and will be shown on Sports5 and streamed on the Sports5 website in the Philippines. 

Gilas Pilipinas is coming off a strong victory over Japan, 75-60, as Terrence Romeo, Ranidel de Ocampo, Moala Tautuaa and Jayson Castro each scored in double digits, with Romeo leading the way with 16 points. The game was tight until the fourth quarter, when Gilas broke things open, outscoring the Japanese 29-16.

“It’s the best basketball we played,” coach Tab Baldwin told reporters after the game, per Musong R. Castillo of Inquirer.net. “We’re getting better, but we’re not good enough yet to win the FIBA Asia.”

“The bonding from the battle (against Russia) may have flowed to the spirit of the team,” Baldwin added, per ABS-CBNNews.com. “The team is enjoying a great spirit. They’re enjoying each other’s company. Off-court chemistry is flowing on the court. They’re taking well that of being a member of the national team, and that’s what we’re supposed to do.”

Whether they are good enough to get past a tough Iranian side, led by Mahdi Kamrani, Oshin Sahakian and Mohammad Jamshidi, remains in doubt. Gilas hasn't beaten Iran in two years, per InterAksyon.com, including losses at the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship finals and the 2014 Asian Games.

Gilas knows how big the test in front of them is, per Carlo Pamintuan of NMFTV.com:

Where Romeo has carried Gilas at times, the Iranians are a very balanced squad, with at least eight players averaging seven or more points, per 2015WJC.Basketball-tpe.org. That certainly makes Iran difficult to deal with, as opponents can't simply game-plan against one or two key players. 

On the other hand, Gilas' ability to get hot from beyond the arc and their solid guard play throughout the tournament will make them a difficult test for the Iranians, who aren't playing their best basketball at the moment after being upset by the United States. 

Iran feels primed for another loss, and Gilas is starting to play their best basketball at the perfect moment in this tournament. Look for them to end their losing streak against the Iranians, 83-79.