NO thanks to an unseen but vicious enemy, South Korea has waved the white flag even before the war could even start.
The Korean Basketball Association announced yesterday the squad has pulled out of the first window of the 2023 FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“The Korean men’s basketball team, ahead of the 2023 FIBA Men’s Basketball World Cup Asian qualifiers, conducted a final PCR test before departure on the 21st. Here’s the problem. One player who had been tested negative was retested and confirmed on the 22nd,” the Korean cage body said via local outlet Jumpball.
“The player who was diagnosed with the virus on the 22nd has been training with the national team, and also participated in a practice match against Korea University on the 21st. Therefore, the Basketball Association decided not to send the national team to the Philippines because there is a risk of infection to the rest of the players.”
To say South Korea was hardly hit by the virus is an understatement.
Before pulling out, three players tested positive for the virus, including naturalized center Ra Gun-A (Ricardo Ratliffe) and 2020 Korean Basketball League MVP Heo Hoon and three more were considered close-contacts that reduced the team to a 10-man quintet.
Gilas Pilipinas was supposed to tangle with South Korea tomorrow and next Monday. The Filipinos will also clash with India on Friday, and New Zealand on Sunday also at the Big Dome.
Although the FIBA has yet to formally announce the ramifications of South Korea’s pullout, it is likely the team’s four games in the February window would be forfeited.
An all-amateur Philippine five beat South Korea twice in last year’s Asia Cup qualifiers in Clark where it completed a 3-0 sweep and went 6-0 overall under erstwhile tactician Tab Baldwin.
Fifteen players make up the pool where coach Chot Reyes will get his 12-man line-up against the Indians and Tall Blacks.
