FIBA ASIA - Mahram chasing Champions Cup history

MANILA (22nd FIBA Asia Champions Cup) - FIBA Asia Champions Cup title holders Mahram will look to make history when the 22nd edition of the competition gets underway in the Philippines capital city of Manila on Saturday.

The Iranian giants, winners of the tournament in 2009 and 2010, are looking to become the first team in the competition's history to win three years in a row.

The FIBA Asia Champions Cup is Asia's premier club level basketball competition, involving the champion clubs from the top 10 countries in Asia.

Mahram's quest for a three-peat will not be without its obstacles and challenges as they face stiff opposition already in the Preliminary Round.

They have been drawn in Group B where they are joined by last year's finalists Al Rayyan of Qatar as well as by WABA heavyweights Al Riyadi of Lebanon and Syria's Al Jala'a

Mahram open their title defence on Saturday against Al Jala'a.

The host nation hopes their representative, Smart Gilas - the core of the Philippines National Team preparing for the 26th FIBA Asia Championship - can bring them their first FIBA Asia Champions Cup triumph in 15 years.

The last time a Filipino team took top honours in the tournament was in 1996, when hosts Hapee Toothpaste won in Manila.

Smart Gilas head a Group A which also consists of Asean Basketball League (ABL) semi-finalists KL Dragons of Malaysia, Jordan's Applied Science University (ASU), Duhok of Iran and Al Ittihad of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Iranian clubs have won the gold the past four years, with Saba Battery winning back-to-back (2007 and 2008) before Mahram accomplished that same feat (2009 and 2010).

In winning for the third time in as many years, Mahram would also tie for the most Champions Cup titles.

Al Hikmeh Sagesse of Lebanon, who won back-to-back at home in 1999-2000 and then in 2004 are the only team to win the tournament three times.

The Preliminary Round will be played from Saturday until Wednesday with the four best teams from each group advancing to the Final Round.

FIBA