IRI - Becirovic looks to bring the good times back

TEHRAN (FIBA Basketball World Cup) - There was a big absentee at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Caracas, Venezuela, this summer.

Iran, winners of the 2007 and 2009 FIBA Asia Championships, had played at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and also at the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey.

When they fell in an 88-84 upset to Jordan in the Quarter-Finals of the 2011 FIBA Asia Championship, though, not only did Iran lose their status as the best team on the continent. Their chances of traveling to London for the Olympics disappeared.

Instead, China won the Asian title on home soil and both Jordan and Korea played at the OQT in South America.

There was to be, sadly for Iranian hoops fans, no NBA center Hamed Hadadi in Britain.

Following the disappointment in the Asian Championship, Iran underwent change.

The most significant was the installation of Memi Becirovic, the former Slovenia national team boss who beat Iran in Turkey, as the new coach.

He will be at the helm this month when Iranian Team Melli play at the 4th FIBA Asia Cup in Tokyo, Japan.

“We don't have too much time for preparing the team but we are doing our best this week,” Becirovic said.

“Mahram club's players are not in a good shape, but the young players are bringing some motivation in training camp.

“I am trying to see how players like Amir Sedighi, Behnam Yakhchali will do. I want to know them better and therefore have a better picture for next year, which is more important and crucial for us.”

Next year is when Iran will play in the FIBA Asia Championship, a qualifying tournament for the FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain.

In Tokyo, Becirovic will not only have a chance to learn more about his pool of talent, but about other squads on the continent.

“I don’t know much about other teams in Asia so this is a good opportunity for me to see other teams in Asia,” Becirovic said.

“I’ve worked in Europe, but Asian systems are different. I saw Asian U18 teams and I think their senior teams should be the same.”

FIBA