DAMASCUS (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers) - For Syrian big man Hani Adribe, playing for the national team means more than winning basketball games.

For the 6ft 9in (2.05m) center, being part of the Syrian national team is an opportunity to show the rest of the world the true measure of the country's character.

"I have always known that I would be a national basketball player," he said. "It is my long life dream to represent my country and do the best I can to present the real image of Syria, the image that represents strength, persistence and hard-work."

Syria are currently toting a 1-win, 3-loss record in Group C of the Asian Qualifiers, and they need to win at least once in the third window if they are to formally punch their tickets to the next round. They are set to face India at the Nouhad Nawfal Sports Complex on 28 June before playing Lebanon at the same venue on 1 July. The matchup with India is the critical one, and if Syria repeat over the Indians, then the former should put their second round entry beyond doubt. Adribe is confident that he and the rest of the national team can accomplish this, especially given their mindset of resiliency.

"Being a basketball player requires the personality of a fighter," he explained. "Someone who does not give up even when he is very close to losing. I know that I will not give up trying to achieve my dreams."

He is also confident that their fans will continue throwing their support towards the team despite the fact they haven't been able to play a single Asian Qualifiers fixture on home soil. Adribe knows that Syria's basketball fans will journey with them through the thick and thin of their campaign to make it to the FIBA Basketball World Cup for the first time in history.

"We are lucky to have the fan base that we have in our country," he said. "They are with us in wins and losses, and in good times and bad. Honestly, their support deeply affects our performance, and it can be a main factor for winning and losing for us. However, we have to do the best we can to overcome this challenge, and bring happiness to our supportive fans back at home."

Adribe is thankful that at least the national team has the chance to play closer to their fans, and that the squad is able to play at more times in the year, which helps their exposure to a high level of competition.

"I think the format in the last window was very effective in terms of interacting with other players as well as having sufficient preparation before the games," he said. "Exposing our team for more games was a game-changer. Our team was in need of more practical and regular matches, and regular exposure for our team was able to give us the experience that we needed."

Adribe is glad that the team have come a long way in the past year. The odyssey from missing out on the 2013 and 2015 FIBA Asia Cups to making a splash in the FIBA Asia Cup 2017 and then being on the brink of making it to the next round of the Asian Qualifiers is a testament to the improvements in the national program and the team's fighting spirit.

"WE HAVE TO DO THE BEST WE CAN TO OVERCOME THIS CHALLENGE, AND BRING HAPPINESS TO OUR SUPPORTIVE FANS BACK AT HOME "- Adribe

"I think the Syrian team have come a long way so far, and I have extremely high hopes for the team," he said. "Of course, this is not only based on the enthusiasm that results from being a basketball player. It is also based on the preparation, the hard-work and the drive for success I see in our team."

FIBA