A couple of Asian Championship related news found on FIBA.com:
JPN – New coach, same plan for Japan ahead of trip to Tianjin
After playing well enough at the FIBA East Asia Championship last month under new Japan boss David Hobbs to qualify for the FIBA Asia Championship, the players learned that the 60-year-old Hobbs had been forced to step down because of a "health issue".The Japanese Basketball Association (JBA) reacted quickly by appointing Osamu Kuraishi, the former JBA's Hitachi Sunrockers coach, as his replacement.
PHI – Toroman looks at Philippines’ chances in FIBA Asia Championship
Philippines national team project director Rajko Toroman is optimistic about the team’s chances of at least reaching the Quarter-Finals of the FIBA Asia Championship, which tips off in less than a month in Tianjin, China.Toroman, who guided Iran to the Asian title two years ago, a result that qualified them for the Olympics, is heavily involved with the Philippines national side though Yeng Guiao was recently installed as the coach.
The Philippines will take on Korea, Japan and Sri Lanka in Group A.
LIB - Lebanon Coach Wants Ticket to Turkey
(FIBA Asia Championship) - Dragan Raca is back at the helm of the Lebanese National Team. Having lost to Iran in the final of the FIBA Asia Championship two years ago in Tokushima - thus according to many experts "blowing away Lebanon's best possible chance to qualify for the Olympics" - one would have expected Dragan Raca to come up with words like 'revenge, vengeance etc,.'But the 38-year-old was as equanimous as ever while assessing Lebanon's chances at the 25th FIBA Asia Championship, scheduled to be held in Tianjin (China) from Aug 6-16.