Pilipinas-Smart Gilas coach Rajko Toroman wary of Iran and Lebanon: FIBA-Asia Champions Cup Update
The 22nd Fédération Internationale de Basketball (FIBA) Asia Champions Cup will commence from Saturday, May 28 at the Philsports Arena, Manila. The battle for supremacy might not have started yet, but the psychological war already has.
Pilipinas-Smart Gilas coach Rajko Toroman, whose team will have the advantage of the home court, said on Sunday that he has always respected the back-to-back winners Mahram of Iran and Lebanon’s Al Riyadi and he is looking forward to defeat these teams in the competition.
Toroman has enough reasons to be cautious of the basketball powers. One of them is the roster that the two teams are bringing along. The two sides not only feature the members of their national sides, but also few imports with good stats. Philippines will be hosting this event for the very first time in six years, the championship will continue from May 28 to June 5.
Toroman said, “Iran and Lebanon will be bringing in some of the members of its national teams." Rajko is one of the coaches, who is not just regarded very well in Asia but also in international basketball after he steered Iran’s national team to the FIBA Asia men’s championship in 2007 en route to the Beijing Olympics after a year.
It is reported that National Basketball Association (NBA) veteran Loren Woods will be a part of Al Riyadi this time. He was a member of Mahram-Iran last year, who retained the Championship Cup. Woods was picked by Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round of the 2001 NBA Draft. The big man also had a stretch with Toronto Raptors, Houston Rockets and Miami Heat.
The 32 year old Woods signed up with Al Riyadi in last October after playing one year from Mahram. Woods maintains an average of 14.3 points and 14.3 boards in the Lebanese Basketball League.
Woods though, is not the only point of concern for Toroman. Joe Vogel is another big concern as he is led the most successful ball club in the Lebanese league along with four other national players. Vogel was selected by the Seattle Supersonics back in 1996 NBA Draft. He is now the current captain of Al Riyadi and will soon be joined by Ali Fakhredine, Nour Jean Abdel and Ali Mahmoud.
Toroman also highlighted that the 6 ft 6 veteran Fadi El-Khatib can also join the team during the nine-day tournament, he is considered as one of the pillars in Lebanese basketball. So far Lebanon has won this tournament on three occasions.
Then comes the four-time champions Iran, who are also the defending champions. The Iranian squad comprises of four key players, who were with the side in last year’s champion squad, including former national team brawny Samad Nikkhah Bahrami, Mehdi Kamrani, Mehrad Atashi and Kayeh Nourafza.
Similar to Al Riyadi, Mahram also has strong history in the Iranian Basketball Super League, where they were the champions from 2007 to 2010. In addition to this, they have also won two West Asian Cup titles.
Tags: