FIBA Asia: Iran downs hosts for title, qualify for Cup

FIBA Asia

Iranian players react to their hardware falling apart during the awards ceremony at the conclusion of the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship for Men.

Iran, the Philippines, and South Korea have booked spots in the 2014 FIBA World Cup after finishing as the top three teams in the FIBA Asia Championship for Men. Iran defeated the host squad 85:71 to earn the gold medals, while South Korea picked up the last seat at the table with a 75:57 victory over Chinese Taipei in the bronze medal contest.

Coming into the final contest in the FIBA Asia Championship for Men, Iran held two very distinct advantages: 1). They were 8-0 in the competition compared to the Philippines 7-1 record; 2). The average player on the Iranian team is 6cm taller than the average player from the host country. The first advantage really is insignificant in the outcome of a game, but the second most certainly does come in handy on the hardwood.

FIBA Asia

Iran’s Hamed Hadadi dunks over the Philippines Ranidel de Ocampo during the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship for Men

Tipping the scales in Iran’s favor is 218cm center, Hamed Hadadi, who came into the title game sporting a 17.5 points per game average as well as tallying an average of 9.3 rebounds per contest. The locals hoped to match him up with 211cm Marcus Douthit, a naturalized Filipino citizen who was born in the US and played his collegiate basketball at Providence, but could not due to an injury he suffered in the semifinal game against South Korea. Douthit would have come into Sunday’s contest averaging 11.9 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. To replace Douthit, the Philippines’ coach Chot Reye threw extra minutes to Ranidel de Ocampo, a 196cm forward that averaged 8.2 points and 4.0 rebounds per game during the tournament. The other big men the hosts had at their disposal, 208cm June Mar Fajardo (0.4ppg/1.3rpg) and 208cm Japeth Aguilar (5.8ppg/3.9rpg) were non-existent in the game with Fajardo scoring one point and grabbing four rebounds, while Aguilar connected for four points and four rebounds.

The locals kept the contest close in the first half, but the Iranians ran away with the game in the second half behind 29 from tournament MVP Hadadi.

Iran took an early 17:15 lead behind seven from Samad Nikkhah Bahrami. Aguilar got all four of his points in the first four minutes of the game and then was shut out for the rest of the contest.

A nine point run by the Iranians built them an eight point lead, 28:20, midway through the second frame. After a triple by the Filipino’s Lewis Tenorio, the guests hit four unanswered to get up by nine, 32:23. A de Ocampo three-ball was the start to a six-point run by the hosts that pulled them to within three before Hadadi got two in the paint, was fouled and connected on the single for his ninth point and a six-point lead for Iran with just under three minutes to play. Hadadi’s three-point play would prove to be the last time Iran would see their tally bumped, while de Ocampo would knock down another deuce in the paint and Larry Fonacier would slice the cords with a triple with five seconds left in the half to pull the Philippines to within a point, 35:34, as the clubs headed into intermission.

The game changed in the early minutes of the second half with Iran running off 10 unanswered after Jayson William had put the Philippines on top 17 seconds into the half with a pair of singles. The Iranian lead peaked at 10, but was cut to six with five seconds to play in the third 10 on a pair of free throws, only to have Iran’s Mahdi Kamrany drain a triple with a pair of seconds on the clock. Iran held a 62:53 advantage heading into the final frame.

Over the first three minutes of the fourth Iran outscoring the locals 8:1 to put up a 16-point margin, 70:54. The Philippines was able to cut the score to 11, but settled for a 14-point loss in the end.

FIBA Asia

2013 FIBA Asia Championship for Men All-Tournament Team: (l-r) Jayson William (Philippines), Kim Mingoo (Korea), Lin Chih-Chieh (Chinese Taipei), Oshin Sahakian (Iran), MVP – Hamed Hadadi (Iran).

All-Tournament Team:
Center – Hamed Hadadi (Iran) – MVP
Power Forward – Oshin Sahakian (Iran)
Forward – Lin Chih-Chieh (Chinese Taipei)
Shooting Guard – Kim Mingoo (Korea)
Point Guard – Jayson William (Philippines)

The fact that Iran and the Philippines made it to the championship game means that they both qualify to represent FIBA Asia in the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain. Rounding out the three FIBA Asia representatives will be South Korea, who defeated Chinese Taipei 75:57 in the bronze medal game.

Leave a Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.