The 2013 FIBA Asia A-Z… Part 2

KUALA LUMPUR (Mageshwaran's AsiaScope) - Continuing from where I left off last week, let's look at the remaining letters in the alphabet.

M for… Yuka Mamiya
By far the most elegant and efficient player of the year - across all categories in 2013 FIBA Asia events. Together with Ramu Tokashiki (whom we discuss later), Mamiya formed a two-pronged Japanese attack that had even the opponents lauding her abilities. A super star in the making for sure.

O for… Yuko Oga
The year saw Oga come up with the most understated performance of her career. Her contribution to the Japanese triumph at the 25th FIBA Asia Championship for Women went beyond the mere stats that she normally reels in. The year marked Oga's emergence as a talismanic leader of the Japanese challenge that left a lot unsaid, but nothing undone. Oga also became the first Japanese to play in the WCBA, signing with reigning champions Shanxi.

P for… Pilipinas
Circa 2013 belonged to the Philippines. There can be no doubt in this. The SEABA nation hosted its first FIBA Asia Championship in four decades and went on to return what many in FIBA Asia termed as the "best event in recent times". With almost 20,000 spectators every day at the impressive MOA Arena, the 27th FIBA Asia Championship turned out to be one of the most memorable FIBA Asia events in recent times. That the home team went all the way to the gold medal was an additional bonus. The icing on the cake for the Pilipinas came a few weeks later when the Cadet Gilas reached the Final of the 3rd FIBA Asia U16 Championship in Tehran. All in all, the Force was truly with the Filipinos.

R for… Ramu Tokashiki
It's not every day that an individual player almost single-handedly leads a team to the gold medal in a FIBA Asia Championship for Women event. Together with Mamiya (as mentioned above), Tokashiki is the leading light for the future of women's basketball in Asia. An MVP performance at the 25th FIBA Asia Championship for Women in Bangkok was only proving her enormous talent.

S for… Oshin Sahakian
The 'garbage cleaner' in Iran's triumph at the 27th FIBA Asia Championship. The 27-year-old came into his own in the Philippine capital, breaking away from the shadows of the more famous stars on the team and left his own mark on FIBA Asia's biggest stage. That he was named as the power forward of the team in the All Stars selection stood as evidence of the impact he left.

T for… Chinese Taipei
There was a certain inevitability that loomed as China lined up for their Quarter-Final against Chinese Taipei at the 27th FIBA Asia Championship. Everything seemed set for another Chinese win and when they led by 10 points at halftime, things seemed to be going according to the script. But the Taipei players bounced back to play the best 20 minutes of their careers to see China being shunted out of the medals reckoning only for the second time in FIBA Asia Championship history.

W for… Lu Wen
The most exciting young star to have emerged on the FIBA Asia horizon in 2013. The 23-year-old made her mark in her very first FIBA Asia Championship for Women game against Korea with a game-high 24 points and went on to leave the connoisseurs delighted and convinced that the future of Chinese women's basketball was safe and secure.

Y for… Asami Yoshida
For long considered Oga's bridesmaid, like many others in her team, Yoshida chose 2013 to break away from the shackles and present herself and her skills in the most impressive manner so far. If Oga was the trigger and the duo of Tokashiki and Mamiya were the barrels of the Japanese gun that fired in all glory at the 25th FIBA Asia Championship for Women, then Yoshida was indeed the bolt that fired the bullets.

Z for…Wang Zhelin
The young centre presented a calm and composed picture of himself and stood ground steadfastly in a Chinese line-up that withered as the event wore on. Wang stood out like a shining beacon at the 27th FIBA Asia Championship.

Like the last two years, I have deliberately left out some letters. For, I was not compelled nor under any obligation to find a player for each letter. Therefore, if a letter didn't find a player, I leave it to say it's the letter's loss. We'll wait another year to make up for this.

So long… And Happy New Year!

S Mageshwaran

FIBA Asia

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