Mageshwaran-Column
06/08/2014
Mageshwaran's AsiaScope
to read

Inspiration drawn from the Persepolis can be awesome!

KUALA LUMPUR (Mageshwaran's AsiaScope) - History tells us that every king of ancient Greco-Roman-European empires was extremely wary of the Persians.

The Persians were supposed to be - and indeed proved to be on more than one occasion - capable of some extremely smart and ingenious methods and maneuvers on the battle field, especially in their invasions, that often left those defending clutching at straws - and given the time in history, quite literally.

Cut to the chase in 2014.

Fans of basketball in Persia - known as Iran in modern times - will hope for something similar to happen as Team Melli suits up for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup to be played in Spain from Aug 30-Sept 14.

And their hopes are not completely unfounded for, Iran in their current form, are in the best-ever shape in their international basketball history. A quick look at their previous appearances at major international events will help understand why this appearance at FIBA's flagship event is Iran's best.

When Iran made their way to the 2008 Beijing Olympics - after winning the 24th FIBA Asia Championship in Tokushima, Japan in 2007 - the team was more awed by the stage of the world's biggest sporting spectacle. After all it was their maiden appearance on such a big platform.

A year later, Iran retained their FIBA Asia Championship gold medal at the 25th FIBA Asia Championship in Tianjin, China and qualified for 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey. However, weeks before the event unfolded, Iran's campaign suffered a double blow with two mainstays in Samad Nikkah and Hamed Afagh being laid low by injuries. The team had to scurry through with makeshift replacements and was fighting to remain competitive.

Iran's first two appearances on the world stage were, therefore, more to fight for an identity in the first instance and for dignity the second time around.

Things certainly look much stronger and more solid now.

For starters, there are no serious injuries. All players are healthy enough and more than half the usual starting five are well rested.

And more importantly, Iran's preparations for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup began a good two years ago - at the 4th FIBA Asia Cup in Tokyo, Japan in 2012 - and that early move prepares for any emergency hospital scares.

Iran, right now, not only have their best players readily and healthily available, but also a bench that is good enough to start the game. There is not a single player in the current Iran roster who isn't ready enough to play at the world's biggest basketball event. Yet there is not a single player who is totally irreplaceable!

Truly, Team Melli looks its strongest ever. In a quick note of commend, much of the credit for this should be given to the path shown by Iran's current coach Memi Becirovic and followed by a dedicated  and indefatigable National Federation under the seemingly ageless Mahmoud Mashhoun.

The path shown by Becirovic has been one for the long-term and not based on short-term result.

Under the genial Slovenian, Iran have won all but one of the 23 games they have played in FIBA Asia competitions. And even that one defeat - against an exuberant Chinese team at the recent 5th FIBA Asia Cup in Wuhan, China - came at an instance when Becirovic's experimentations with the offensive rotation went, to put in his own words, "berserk".

Becirovic's, and Iran's, goal at Spain 2014 is simple and straight: Win two games and make it to the Fina Phase. And by Becirovic's own analysis the goal is well within Iran's reach.

"The most important factor that works to our advantage is that we have nothing to lose against any of these teams. They are all big names and therefore the pressure will be on them," he told me in the course of an interview for the FIBA Asia website.

It was in the course of that very interview that the Slovenian also reminded me of the historic Persian invaders when he said: "Don't underestimate Iran. We can be very dangerous."

Time for those words to turn true!

So long…

S Mageshwaran

FIBA Asia

FIBA's columnists write on a wide range of topics relating to basketball that are of interest to them. The opinions they express are their own and in no way reflect those of FIBA.

FIBA takes no responsibility and gives no guarantees, warranties or representations, implied or otherwise, for the content or accuracy of the content and opinion expressed in the above article.

Magesh Mageshwaran

Magesh Mageshwaran

AsiaScope provides a first hand, and an in-depth perspective, on the prospects, fortunes and factors affecting basketball the culturally vivid and varied zone of the FIBA family that is FIBA Asia. With long years of experience in covering the sport Mageshwaran - a permanent visitor to all FIBA Asia events in recent times - brings his objective and sharp analyses into issues that make basketball a truly global sport.