BEIRUT (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers) - We all love seeing the build up of a play, as a guard dribbles the ball up to the front court, passing along the perimeter, a series of screens are set, before finally a wing player or center slashes to the rim for what appears to be an easy layup or dunk. Then out of nowhere...

BAM!

Get that out of here! Not in my house!

The play by play announcer's voice explodes in excitement, and the crowd is on its feet.

Blocks often come out of the blue, when you least expect it. More often that not they serve as a reminder that there are no free buckets. Every shot made has to be earned. The four FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian Qualifiers windows in 2018 have been punctuated with a number of thunderous denials that have reverberated across packed arenas throughout the continent.  

As the festive season is upon us and we applaud Santa's handpicked list of the top 10 gifts of the year, it is only fair that we also let the Grinch have his say. After all, for every pretty bucket, there is also the angry denial!

Here are the Grinch's choicest 2018 picks for the top 10 blocks during the four windows played in 2018.

Honorable mention #4: Ater Majok (LBN) vs Korea (11/29/18)

Close out rejections are never easy, especially when a center has to stretch out to the perimeter. But that's precisely what Lebanon's Majok did here against Korea. The 6ft 11'' (210cm) rim runner is fourth overall on the list of blocks, with 15 denials through eight games. So there's a lot more where that came from. *Theme alert!*

Honorable mention #3:  Ra Guna (KOR) vs NZL (2/26/18)

Ra Guna has established himself as a dominant two way player and leads all Asia players in efficiency (+35.3), points (27.1 ppg) and rebounds (12.8 rpg). He is also sixth overall in blocks (10 blocks in 8 games).

Honorable mention #2: Rouzbeh Arghavan (IRI) vs PHI (12/3/2018)

A big block considering the context of the game- an away encounter for Iran, down 52-56 in the fourth period. Team Melli would go on to win 78-70, with Arghavan totalling three blocks in the game.

Honorable mention #1: Ater Majok (LBN) vs IND (2/26/18)

India had a forgettable first round campaign, and this possession probably sums up their entire experience. No doubt, the Indian bigs Arvind Annadurai and Jeevanantham Pandi's drives to the rim were slow, allowing Majok to recover for the back to back blocks. 

#10 Junyong Choi (KOR) vs SYR (9/17/18)

This was a blowout game, and Korea was already up by 37 points when 6ft 7'' (200cm) guard Choi played back to back rim protector. Not in my house! 

#9 Charles Tabet (LBN) vs IND (02/26/18)

It's always entertaining to watch a seven footer get blocked. The 6ft 8'' (204cm) Tabet had his bench's approval as he swatted a weak attempt by the 7ft 2'' (218cm) Satnam Singh.

#8 Zhelin Wang (CHN) vs SYR (11/29/2018)

The Red Dragons have had an average qualifying campaign so far. Maybe they have been taking it easy knowing that qualification to the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup is already guaranteed as hosts. But against Syria, China had it super easy, with Wang leading from the front. The 6ft 11" (212cm) center finished the game with five blocks!

#7 Abdulwahab Alhamwi (SYR) vs LBN (7/2/18)

There's always a healthy rivalry when neighbors go to battle. Same was the case when West Asia sides Syria and Lebanon collided. Lebanon may have won both their head to heads but Syria for sure had its moments. The 7ft 3" (220cm) Alhamwi is one of the tallest players currently in international competition, and he leads all players in the Asian Qualifiers in terms of blocks (22 in 10 games).

#6 Japeth Aguilar (PHI) vs JPN (2/25/18)

Aguilar comes flying out from the weakside to deny Naoki Uto midway through the fourth quarter. But that just spurs Japan to retaliate in the very next play, which is #5 on our list.

#5 Tenketsu Harimoto (JPN) vs PHI  (2/25/18) 

Andray Blatche is second overall in blocks. So it must have come as a rude shock for him to find himself at the receiving end of one courtesy the 6ft 6" (197cm) small forward Harimoto. 

#4 Rouzbeh Arghavan (IRI) vs JPN (9/13/18)

Down by 10 late in Q3, Iran needed a spark from somewhere. Luckily, they had the  7ft (214cm) Arghavan who emphatically denied the otherwise unstoppable Rui Hachimura. Japan though, would have the last laugh, winning 70-56, with Hachimura putting up 25 points and seven rebounds.

#3 Alexandr Zhigulin (KAZ) vs Japan (12/3/18)

What you don't see here is the build up to this play. In the previous possession small forward Yudai Baba had thrown it down on Zhigulin in almost the exact same manner, so the Kazakh bigman was having none of it the second time around.

#2 Ater Majok (LBN) vs CHN (9/14/18)

This game provided a number of heart stopping moments, including the top two blocks on our list, as the Cedars scripted history. Elite shotblocker Majok has been stepping up for Lebanon time and again through the course of these World Cup Qualifiers. This was a crucial block at an important stage of the game that not only shifted the momentum back towards the hosts in this see saw battle, but also got the home fans on their feet! 

#1 Ali Haider (LBN) vs CHN (9/14/18) 

Ali Haider showed just how badly Lebanon wanted this win, putting his body on the line for this block against Dehao Yu. The Cedars would go on to post a historic 92-88 OT victory.

 FIBA