FIBA Asia Cup: Manila a possible bubble host for February 2021 window

Manila, Philippines may host a window of the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers some time next year.

With Gilas Pilipinas coming off back to back victories over Thailand in the Manama, Bahrain bubble, there have been reports that Manila is also interested in staging a bubble of its own.

That was according to the local broadcast commentary of the November 30 Gilas-Thailand game which the Philippines won, 93-69.

Instead of its usual home-and-away format, FIBA decided to host participating teams in a bubble for a safer and more playable environment amidst the pandemic.

Should it happen, the Philippines will likely play Korea twice and Indonesia once to complete its schedule.

Gilas currently has a 3-0 record in its group. The top 2 countries per group advance automatically to the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup, the top-flight continental basketball championship in Asia.

Only 16 teams will make it to the said event.

The Philippines was supposed to host Thailand last February of 2020, before the coronavirus pandemic shut down all sporting events.