NOONG nagsisimula pa lamang ang Iran sa kanilang paghahanda para sa 27th FIBA Asia Men’s Championship ay ramdam ng coach na si Mehmed Becirovic na may kahihinatnan ang kanilang kampanya na mabawi ang dating suot na titulo.
“They are very motivated. I asked everybody to be there in the first day preparation in the camp and they were there,” wika ni Becirovic.
Hindi nakasama sa koponan si Arsalan Kazemi, ang 6-foot-8 forward na nasama sa 2013 NBA draft at kinuha ng Washington Wizards sa second round dahil wala siyang oras na makasama agad ng koponan.
Wala namang problema sa bagay na ito dahil nasa koponan ang 7-foot-2 center na si Hamed Hadadi bukod pa sa mahuhusay na manlalaro tulad nina Mahdi Kamrany at Samad Bahrami.
Siyam na laro ang hinarap ng Iran at hindi sila natalo ni minsan. Ang winning average nila ay 32 puntos. Ang host Pilipinas ang tinalo ng Iran sa finals
Linggo ng gabi at si Hadadi ay gumawa ng 29 puntos at 16 boards habang sina Bahrami at Kamrany ay may 19 at 15 puntos.
Pinuri naman ni Becirovic ang magandang laban mula sa mga Pinoy na nangyari kahit wala ang 6-foot-10 naturalized Pinoy na si Marcus Douthit na nagtamo ng injury sa semifinals.
“It was the toughest game for us because we know 20,000 fans are behind Pilipinas. They play very good, they fight everytime, new energy, to fight til the end.
I know Marcus is injured and this was our biggest advantage. Again congratulations to the Philippine team for the world championship and for the good game,” sabi ni Becirovic.
Si Hadadi ay hinirang bilang Most Valuable Player ng FIBA Asia sa ikatlong pagkakataon. Nanalo rin siya noong 2007 at 2009.
“The 2011 (FIBA Asia) loss, it was an accident.
I’m thinking of the loss to Jordan and watched the game ten times, thinking what happened in that game. I can’t wait to get back in this championship to beat everybody,” wika ni Hadadi na sinasabing maaaring maglaro para sa New York Knicks sa papasok na NBA season.
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