By JONAS TERRADO
Indonesia was named host of the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup slated Aug. 16 to 28, the world governing body announced Friday.
The Southeast Asian country will stage the continental competition two years before co-hosting the 2023 FIBA World Cup with the Philippines and Japan.
As hosts, Indonesia is assured of a place in the Asia Cup but will need to secure a quarterfinals berth in order to receive a slot in the World Cup.
“We are very proud to host the FIBA Asia Cup in Jakarta next year, it is an excellent platform for Indonesia to display its basketball potential,” said Indonesian Basketball Federation (PERBASI) president Danny Kosasih.
“It will also help us to prepare ourselves for FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023, both as an organizer and a national team,” he added.
Sixteen teams will compete in the tournament which became a quadrennial tournament in 2017 after FIBA made significant changes to its competition format.
Lebanon and Bahrain earned the first two Asia Cup slots thanks to their performances in the first two windows of the Qualifiers.
The third window is slated in February, with Clark, Pampanga set to host two groups.
Indonesia first hosted the Asia Cup in 1993 when the tournament was still known as the Asian Basketball Confederation Championship.
