Philippines vs. Georgia Preview: Philippines Aims for Back-to-Back Wins to Secure Top Spot; Georgia Faces Elimination with Loss

On July 4, the Olympic Men’s Basketball Qualifying Tournament in Latvia continues as the Philippines takes on Georgia.

The Philippines pulled off a major upset in their opening game, defeating the fifth-ranked team from last year’s World Cup and host nation Latvia, 89-80, despite the absence of Jordan Clarkson. In that match, naturalized player Brownlee scored 26 points with 9 rebounds and 9 assists, while Sotto contributed 18 points and 8 rebounds. NBA player Bertans played but had little impact.

Georgia also faced Latvia in their first game and suffered a convincing 55-83 loss. Despite having NBA players Bitadze and Mamukelashvili, Georgia was unable to compete, recording only 10 assists against 16 turnovers, indicating poor teamwork. Mamukelashvili led the team with 14 points, the only player to score in double digits. Bitadze managed 7 points and 6 rebounds, and the team failed to display cohesion.

In this group consisting of the Philippines, Georgia, and host Latvia, with Latvia already finishing their group matches with a 1-1 record, the Philippines stands at 1-0, while Georgia is at 0-1. This final group match will significantly impact the qualification scenario. The top two teams advance to the knockout stage. For Georgia, a loss would mean elimination, while a win would still depend on the point differential. Currently, Georgia has a -28 point differential, the Philippines has a +9 differential, and Latvia has a +18 differential.

Based on their initial performances, the Philippines appears to be the stronger team. Their naturalized players demonstrated impressive strength, and they were able to defeat a European powerhouse without Clarkson. With only one spot available for the six competing teams to advance to the Olympics, the Philippines will strive for the top position in the group to face the second-placed team from the other group.