A new leader sits atop the latest FIBA (International Basketball Federation) seniors men?s basketball rankings following the results of the 2010 World Championship.

This was to be expected after Team USA, which was powered by reigning National Basketball Association (NBA) scoring champion Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder, whipped host Turkey, 81-64, in the World finals to capture a record-setting fourth gold medal in the 60-year existence of the quadrennial event.

From the No. 2 spot, the Americans jumped to No. 1 with their World success.

Reigning EuroBasket titlist Spain, which relinquished the World title that it won in Japan in 2006 with a sixth-place finish in this year?s competitions, also moved up from third to second in the latest FIBA polls in spite of its disappointing performance in Istanbul.

It was Argentina that was bumped off from the No. 1 slot, slipping to third after placing fifth in the 2010 World games.

The Argentinians, who were bannered by the Houston Rockets? rugged frontliner Luis Scola, incidentally beat the Pau Gasol-less Spaniards, 86-81, in their classification encounter (for fifth and sixth places).

Greece retained its No. 4 ranking even though the perennial European powerhouse slipped to 11th place in this year?s World tournament.

Lithuania, which captured its first-ever World medal with a 99-88 victory over Serbia in the bronze-medal game, moved up by one spot to No. 5.

Turkey leapfrogged from 18th to sixth following its silver-medal finish in the last Worlds.

Completing the top 10 on the FIBA rankings? list are Italy, seventh (even though it failed to qualify for the recent World games); Serbia, eighth; Australia, ninth; and China, 10th (a rung lower after placing 16th in the 24-nation Worlds last month).

The Second 10 consisted of 11-Russia, 12-Germany, 13-Angola, 14-France, 15-Puerto Rico, 16-Brazil, 17-Slovenia, 18-New Zealand, 19-Croatia, and 20-Islamic Republic of Iran (up from its previous No. 21 spot).

After China and Iran, here?s how the other Asian countries fared out in the newest FIBA polls (previous ranking in parentheses):

Lebanon, 24th (same); Qatar, 29th (down from No. 28); Korea, 31st (down from No. 27); Jordan, 32nd (up from No. 38 despite dropping all of its five games in the 2010 World tournament to finish 23rd overall); Japan, 33rd (down from No. 32); Kazakhstan, 40th (down from No. 36); Chinese-Taipei, 41st (up from No. 42); India, 50th (up from No. 52); and Kuwait, 52nd (up from No. 55);

The PHILIPPINES, 53rd (up from No. 56 even though it did not participate in any FIBA-sanctioned tournament that featured an entire cast of national teams); Syria, 58th (down from No. 52); Uzbekistan, 58th (up from No. 60); Hong Kong, 63rd (same); Indonesia, 63rd (same); Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 66th (same); United Arab Emirates, 67th (same); Malaysia, 70th (same); and Sri Lanka, 73rd (same).

Until now, this Hoopster still can?t understand why India and Kuwait continue to be ranked higher than the Philippines.

Something?s wrong somewhere, I believe.

Maybe Team Pilipinas can prove the FIBA pollsters wrong by performing well in the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou, China next month.