GUANGZHOU – Smart Gilas Team Pilipinas starts its battle with Asia’s heavyweights today, hoping for the best against back-to-back Fiba Asia champion Iran which the country has never beaten in three years.
The Filipinos are hopeful the two tune-up games and a knockout tussle they played in the run-up to the Asian Games proper serve them in good stead as they take on the formidable Iran team at 9:30 p.m. at the Huangpu Gymnasium.
Against a team that ruled the Fiba Asian joust in 2007 and 2009, the only thing that seems to be on Smart Gilas Phl’s side is coach Rajko Toroman’s deep familiarity and extensive knowledge of how the Iranians play.
The Memphis Grizzlies’ Hamed Haddadi is not here but the Iranians remain a tall team with a 7-foot-4 center in Jaber Rouzbahani plus five other front court players standing at least 6-foot-9.
There’s also the returning Iranian hotshot Samad Nikkhah Bahrami.
The 6-foot-5 do-it-all forward, who averaged nearly 20 points a game in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, missed the recent Turkey World Championship but he’s listed in their lineup here. He was Iran’s flag bearer during the opening ceremonies.
Toroman, who steered Iran to their Beijing Olympics stint, said he’s told by Bahrami himself that he’s going to play.
The other core members of the powerhouse Iranian team are in the fold, including reserve wingman Hamed Ahfad and guards Mahdi Kamrani, Javad Davari and Amir Amini.
The Philippines has never beaten this team in any tourney since the all-pro RP squad of coach Chot Reyes humbled the Toroman-coached Iran side, 89-79, in the 2007 Jones Cup in Taipei.
James Yap, Jimmy Alapag, Mark Caguioa and Kelly Williams all scored in double figures as the Nationals cut Haddadi and his teammates down to size to prevail.
Iran, however, got back at the Philippines in the Tianjin Fiba Asia a few weeks later, and the Iranians have kept their domination of the Filipinos since then.
The Iranians clobbered the Filipinos the last time they met in the most recent Jones Cup even with Marcus Douthit reinforcing Smart Gilas Phl.
The Nationals, however, are determined to stop the Iranians’ domination of their personal duels here.
“I expect the team to play well and battle Iran in a high-level game,” said Toroman.
The Nationals hope to upset the Iranians and build momentum that could carry them to a place in the knockout stage among the last eight teams.
Toroman stressed anything is possible when they reach the quarterfinals.
Toroman’s concern is injuries to Sol Mercado, Asi Taulava and Marcius Lassiter. Because of this, he cancelled their practice Sunday and held a light workout yesterday in preparation for today’s match.
Other games slated today in the same group pit Qatar against either Afghanistan or India at 7:15 p.m. also at the Huangpu Gymnasium and Japan versus Chinese Taipei at 9:30 p.m. over at the Ying Dong Gymnasium.
In the other group, China faces Mongolia at 7:15 p.m. then Jordan tangles with North Korea at 9:30 p.m. at the Guangzhou International Sports Arena. South Korea meets Uzbekistan at 7:15 p.m. at the Ying Dong Gymnasium.