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Gilas Pilipinas took on Kazakhstan at the 2018 Asian Games this summer and won easily, 96-59. They are looking for the same result on Friday by opening the fifth qualifying window for the FIBA World Cup in Asia.
Kazakhstan is ranked 70th by FIBA. Kazakhstan started qualifying for the FIBA World Cup in Asia by winning three of its four assignments before losing its last two games in the preliminary round of 23 points on average.
The situation worsened after being beaten by Japan 85-70 and Australia 94-41.
Anton Ponomarev announced his retirement from international play in the first period. The incessant injuries forced Ponomarev to focus on his duties for BC Astana in their professional circuit.
Kazakhstan has still not found Anatoliy Kolesnikov, who is injured six feet out of seven, and shoulder problems are keeping Jordanian leader Jerry Jamar Johnson out of the way.
Kazakhstan still has the powerful duo of Rustam Murzagaliev and Rustam Yargaliev to guide them. They lead the team in 3-point conversions, averaging four to three points combined per game in the competition.
Alexander Zhigulin is an outdoor shooting pivot that could attract big men opposed to Gilas. Zhigulin got 4 points against 4 for Qatar in the second period and finished with 19 points. It was his only double-digit performance.
Zhigulin, the actors Ruslan Aitkali, Denis Degtyarev and the project Askar Maidekin, 21 years old, are the biggest players of Kazakhstan with a size of 6 feet 8 inches.
Dmitriy Gavrilov, Nikolay Bazhkin and Maxim Marchuk provide size and grain inside against a wide range of Gilas.
The key of Kazakhstan in attack will be the success with which Murzagaliev and Yargaliev managed to break the defense of the Gilas and give the blow to their great men.
On the defensive, Kazakhstan will have to bring greater intensity and will probably focus on Slaughter and Fajardo.
Coach Yeng Guaio will use the same attack in the race as at the Asian Games, but this time with a more complete training at his disposal.
Stanley Pringle will lead the Philippine offensive with Matthew Wright, Marcio Lassiter and Alex Cabagnot.
Wright, Lassiter and Cabagnot did not participate in the Asian Games.
Kazakhstan coach Mikhail Karpenko will have to choose between staying small, keeping pace with Gilas, or using their size and sturdiness and hoping they will overtake the Philippines.
Gilas is favored over Kazakhstan and a victory would allow them to take a big step towards a place in China this summer.
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