FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers:
Iran desperate to bounce back in crunch double-header
Iran’s national basketball team will look to recover from a disappointing start to its Group E campaign when head coach Sotiris Manolopoulos’s men return to action in the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers later this month.
Having topped the first-round Group C with back-to-back victories over Jordan, either side of a win against Syria in June, Iran opened the second round with a 93-91 overtime defeat to New Zealand before suffering a 68-56 loss to the Philippines in August.
Both games were staged in Pasay, the Philippines. Although the group opener was designated as a home fixture for Iran, Manolopoulos’s side was forced to play at the neutral venue of SM Mall of Asia Arena due to security concerns amid the conflict in the region. The same circumstances had previously forced Iran to move its home game against Syria to Amman, Jordan, in the first round.
The Iranian Basketball Federation appealed to the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) in September to have its hosting rights reinstated for the remainder of the campaign, but the request was rejected. Iran will therefore have to play its upcoming double-header in Seremban, Malaysia.
Iran will take on Australia at Karisma Arena on November 27 before facing the Philippines at the same venue two days later.
With the top three teams in the group standings qualifying for the World Cup, third-placed Iran remains firmly in contention for a place at next year’s showpiece in Qatar. However, further slip-ups in the remaining four fixtures could allow Jordan, currently fourth on 13 points and level with Iran, to overtake it.
The Greek coach has called up 18 players for the latest training camp, which began in Tehran on Saturday.
Arsalan Kazemi, Mohammad Jamshidi, Arman Zangeneh, Peter Gregorian, Seyyed Mehdi Jafari, Amirhossein Tousian, Mohammadmehdi Rahimi, Alireza Sharifi, Khashayar Aliakbari, Mobin Sheikhi, Seyyed Mohammad Ghaffari, Mohammadmehdi Heydari, Navid Rezaeifar, Matin Aghajanpour, Sarem Jafari, Hassan Aliakbari, Jalal Aghamiri and Mohammadmehdi Jalali are included in the preliminary roster.
Overseas-based players Behnam Yakhchali, Mohammad Amini, Mohsen Asgarinia and Salar Taheri are expected to join the squad in the coming days.
The return of prolific duo Yakhchali and Amini, who missed the previous window for different reasons, will provide Manolopoulos with a major boost ahead of the crucial double-header.s
Yakhchali’s international experience and ability to score from beyond the arc could strengthen Iran’s offensive game. Amini, meanwhile, brings athleticism, penetration and an effective presence in attacking situations, offering another dimension to the team’s offense.
Their availability will give the Greek coach more options in devising attacking strategies. However, integrating the two players into the squad and the limited time available for collective training remain key considerations ahead of the games.