The Philippines is bunched in Group A with the Dominican Republic, ranked 23rd in the world, Angola (41st) and world No. Justin Brownlee (right) PHOTO BY RIO DELUVIOAt the end of the group stage, teams from both groups merge for the second group phase (top two) or for the classification phase (bottom two). In the 2019 edition held in China, no Asian squad made it to the second group stage. Thus, any Asian team that chalks up two victories in the opening round will be a cinch to secure the lone slot allotted for the region to the 2024 Paris Olympics. Iran nosed out China for the lone Olympic spot during the 2019 world basketball joust by mere points differential, thus, giving the Chinese greater motivation to perform well in this year's World Cup in Manila.
