There are certainly new constellations discovered in Mongolia!

KUALA LUMPUR (Mageshwaran’s AsiaScope) - Ken Wagner, the most successful coach of Brigham Young University (BYU)-Hawaii is in Mongolia these days sitting on the Chinese Taipei bench passing on useful tips to coach Yang I-Feng. Memi Becirovic, the coach who took Slovenia to the Quarter-Finals at the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey is also in Ulaanbaatar and plays a more active and vocal role in guiding the plays of the Iranian U18 team.

Even with a passing query of “what are these successful and accomplished coaches doing at the 22nd FIBA Asia U18 Championship?” pat comes the reply: “we want to watch what the future might offer us.”

Perhaps in answer to these accomplished coaches, and at least a score of others’ interest, the event has indeed thrown some new and hitherto unknown talents that we missed despite a FIBA Asia U16 event completed less than a year ago.

India have brought in a gangling 2.03m in Palpreet Singh Brar who shows remarkable athletic ability on the court. Unlike the better known Satnam Singh Bhamara – currently undergoing rehab after a surgical procedure on his knee – who is still groping with his footwork, Brar is quick, sharp and arguably more sensitive to game situations in his moves.

Although coach Jai Prakash Singh is fielding him as a center in the competition – as the coach himself says 'for want of choice' – my vote is for Brar as a classic power forward with the necessary speed and skills-set.

His shooting is yet not as consistent as one might like, but he has shown impressive basketball sense to cover that.

“I’ve been playing basketball only for the last two years or so. I know I have to learn a lot and I am willing to work hard for that,” Brar said.
 
The Brar-Bhamara combination does indeed augur well for the future of Indian basketball! Will they get the right nurture? The answer to that is the key for the sport’s development in the world’s second most populous country.

The only country India trails in terms of population – China - has thrown some new talent into the ring.

China’s opponents in the Preliminary Round were not expected to challenge them much. That lop-sided pre-game billing has allowed coach Wang Huaiyu to rotate his playing line-up – giving the now-famous Zhou Qi and Wang Zhelin combo some rest.

The resulting effect has been the emergence of Dai Huaibo as a serious contender for the future Chinese National Team.

The 2.05m power forward is not unknown – having played some games in Europe last season – but his current showing has ensured that he cannot be ignored for long.

“With Dai Huaibo’s emergence, China has three excellent two-metre-plus players after a long time,” said China's U18 coach Wang Huaiyu.

“We have always had to make do with only two tall players. But now the prospect with three giants on the court looks very possible in the near future.”

Then, there's Vahid Dalirzahan of Iran.

Dalirzahan is another familiar to the regulars in FIBA Asia, but questions about his temperament were sent into oblivion when he produced a sublime effort to nip the speed of the Philippines.

“He’s very calm and composed even when under pressure. That to me is the more remarkable quality along with his explosive talent,” said Iran’s coach Mehran Hatami.

“I call him the ‘Iceman’ for his sharp reading of the game situation under pressure.”

Not that only the taller players have impressed so far.

J-Jay Alejandro is a 1.83m guard coming from the basketball-crazy nation of the Philippines.

The most remarkable aspect of Alejandro, to me, so far has been his ability to improve with every game that he has played.

In between the time that we saw him at the 2nd FIBA Asia U16 Championship in Nha Trang City, Vietnam last October and now, there is a visible improvement in his skills.

And hoping that he grows at least a couple of centimetres taller, we’ll hear more of this first year Business Administration student of Manila National University.
 
“I have definitely improved in the last few months in my shooting. But I have to learn to be a little more patient. I also think I need to work more on my dribbling skills,” Alejandro said.

The 22nd FIBA Asia U18 Championship in Ulaanbaatar is just about beginning to heat up. I am sure there will be more talent that we might have missed in the first few days once the play-offs begin.

We’ll keep this going next week!

So long…

S Mageshwaran

FIBA Asia

FIBA’s columnists write on a wide range of topics relating to basketball that are of interest to them. The opinions they express are their own and in no way reflect those of FIBA.

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