Asian legends Haddadi, Nikkah Bahrami bolster Naft Abadan's lineup at FIBA Asia Champions Cup 2019
BANGKOK (Thailand) - Naft Abadan went in to the Iranian Super League playoffs as the 4th seeded underdogs. Nonetheless, they went all the way to win the title and will now be playing at the FIBA Asia Champions Cup 2019.
Armed with some highly-touted additions to the team, Naft Abadan will be one of the teams to watch at the competition in GSB Stadium29, Thailand.
Naft Abadan will be parading a star-studded cast of additions for their campaign in Thailand. Asian legend Hamed Haddadi gives the Iranian club a huge boost, bringing along high-level experience from playing in the NBA, China, and Lebanon among other countries to the team. Haddadi is already a FIBA Asia Champions Cup winner, hoisting the trophy with Saba Battery Tehran in 2008 and Foolad Mahan Isfahan in 2013. He will also be joined with fellow Asian star and legend, Samad Nikkah Bahrami, for this competition.
Arsalan Kazemi will also be joining Naft Abadan, hoping to replicate the same success he experienced in Thailand by winning FIBA Asia Champions Cup 2018 with Petrochimi. Kazemi was the all-around star forward of the team, posting averages of 5.6 points, 12.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 2.2 steals per contest for the champions.
(Arsalan Kazemi, FIBA Asia Champions Cup 2018)
The Iran Super League champions’ original core of Mohammed Hassanzadeh, Aren Davoudichegani, and Saied Davarpanah will be also tasked once again to lead Naft Abadan to glory here at the FIBA Asia Champions Cup 2019. 23-year-old Davarpanah has already had his taste of playing in the Asia Champions Cup, recently playing for Petrochimi back in 2017 with 11.3 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. Hassanzadeh has also played for Petrochimi in the FIBA Asia Champions Cup, though his appearance was in 2016. The 28-year-old forward was good for 8.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per contest for the third-place finishers.
(Mohammed Hassanzadeh, FIBA Asia Champions Cup 2017)
Naft Abadan are in Group A and will be playing in the opening game of the competition against Muharraq on September 24 at 13:00 (GMT +7). Their second game against the Fubon Braves will also be the first game of September 25 at 13:00 (GMT +7). The last game of the Group Phase for Naft Abadan will be against the host Hitech Bangkok City at 18:00 (GMT +7) on September 26.
Will the highlighted additions of Haddadi, Nikkah Bahrami, and Kazemi be enough to lift Naft Abadan through to win the FIBA Asia Champions Cup 2019 title?
FIBA
