IRI – Iran coach Matic: ‘For us, every player is important’

TEHRAN (2010 FIBA World Championship) - Basketball fans in Iran could be forgiven if they’ve been fretting over the team’s chances at the 2010 FIBA World Championship after last month’s draw in Istanbul.

The two-time champions of Asia ended up in Group B with Team USA, Slovenia, Brazil, Croatia and Tunisia.

They will need to finish among the top four sides in the pool to advance to the next round.

Far from seeing it as a burden, Iran coach Veselin Matic considers Iran’s draw as an opportunity.

The man who led the national side to a second consecutive gold medal last summer with a 70-52 drubbing of hosts China in the title game wants his players to get better and the way to do that is to face quality opponents.

“We are a good team,” Matic said to FIBA.com.

“We are a team and will compete with everyone, just like we have in the past.”

Most important, Matic says, is that Iran continue to play in the big tournaments.

In 2008, they made headlines by competing at the 12-team Beijing Olympics.

Now they are in the 24-team field of the FIBA World Championship.

"We’re very happy that we are in the FIBA World Championship, that we’re in this family that is at the top of the world,” Matic said.

It’s all about the team

Matic has followed in a long line of Serbian coaches with Iran and believes the country is making great strides in the sport.

A big part of their success has been the 7ft 2in Hamed Ehadadi.

He has garnered much of the attention both for his performances in the Iran uniform, and his move to the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies.

The 24-year-old is in his second campaign with the Grizz, fighting for minutes in one of the league’s best young teams.

His lack of playing time is a concern for Matic.

“He had the same situation last year, going up and down between the NBA and the D-League,” Matic said.

Hamed has made 12 appearances in the 2009-10 season and averaged a mere 4.1 minutes per game.

Will his inaction during games have a detrimental effect on Iran this summer?

“Maybe it’s a question of motivation for him,” Matic said.

“But the question is, how long can he remain motivated while coming up and down?

“He’s a quality player. In my opinion, he needs to have a chance to play basketball because I see him as a top player.

“He is very intelligent and he’s a really, really big factor in our team.”

Iran’s hopes do not rest solely with Hamed, though.

Anyone who saw them play last summer will know that’s the case.

In Iran’s 77-75 escape act against Jordan in the Semi-Finals of the FIBA Asia Championship, Hamed had a nightmare performance with just five points.

But his teammates answered the call, especially Hamed Afagh and captain Samad Nikkah Bahrami, who scored 18 and 23 points, respectively.

“For us, every player is important,” Matic said.

“I don’t like to split up players as ‘more important’ or ‘less important’.

“We have one, good team with good experience, an experience that for a long, long time has been in the direction of Serbian basketball.

“I’m the fifth Serbian coach of the Iranian team.

“This is the direction we are continuing in.

“When we’re all together, this is good. When there is a split among the players that is not a good way.”

FIBA