IRI/PHI - Triumphant Iran and Philippines put on superb World Cup preview

MANILA (FIBA Asia Championship) - Iran and the Philippines have shown Asia will be strongly represented at next year’s FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain with a high quality FIBA Asia Championship Title Game in front of 19,989 fans in Manila.

Despite missing star centre Marcus Douthit through injury, the Philippines gave the bigger Iranians all they could handle before falling 85-71, succumbing to a constant offensive rebounding disadvantage.

"We had been waiting for this championship for two years," said Iran centre Hamed Hadadi, who was named the tournament's MVP.

"I can't wait to get this trophy back to my country. My team played hard together and it is the best feeling in the world."

Philippines coach Chot Reyes walked away with a smile on his face and convinced Iran would be a formidable opponent for any team at Spain 2014.

"Unfortunately it ended the way it did, but if someone had told me two months ago that on August 11 we'd end up with silver medals I would be very, very happy," he said.

"Iran is a great, great team. They have been together since 2006 or 2007 and it showed in the way they played."

Both teams were represented in the All-Tournament Team, with the Philippines' Jason 'Castro' William (18 points), and Iran's Oshin Sahakian (12 points, 12 rebounds) and Hadadi (29 points, 16 rebounds) rewarded for their outstanding performances.

Young star Kim Mingoo of Korea - Asia's third qualified team for Spain 2014 - was also selected in the first five, alongside exciting Chinese Taipei swingman Lin Chih-Chieh.

Early in the Final, Iran's zone defense made life difficult for the Philippines, and with Samad Nikkhah Bahrami (19 points, 7 assists) in his usual destructive mood, the 2007 and 2009 champions threatened to pull clear.

But as he so often has this tournament, Castro ignited his team, with seven quick points surrounding quarter-time putting the Philippines ahead 20-19.

Slowly though, Iran's all-around game began to take its toll on the hosts, clinically executing in transition and feeding Hadadi close to the hoop in the half-court to extend their lead to 32-23.

A string of tough plays from Ranidel de Ocampo and Castro kept the Gilas within reach, and then a buzzer-beating triple from Larry Fonacier brought the crowd to fever pitch and reduced the margin to a solitary point at half-time.

After Castro put the Philippines in front to open the third term the Iranians offensive rebounding dominance began to show, Hadadi in particular tormenting the hosts to put his team 10 points in front.

Two three-pointers from Jim Alapag (13 points) and one from Jeff Chan re-ignited the home crowd and closed the gap to six, but Mahdi Kamrany nailed a triple on the buzzer to reaffirm Iran’s buffer at the last break.

Without Douthit to centre their offenae around the Philippines seemed to run out of ideas as fatigue set in, Iran showing the class of a championship team to close the game out.

"We are still happy," Castro said.

"We have achieved our objective of making it to Spain."

FIBA