Iran muscles its way past Smart Gilas Philippines 98-87
by rick olivares
JAKARTA, INDONESIA – Mahram Iran, the 2009 West Asian Basketball Association champions, dealt the Smart Gilas RP Men’s Basketball Team its first loss in the 20th FIBA Asia Champions Challenge Cup at the Britama Arena in Jakarta, Indonesia with a 98-87 win to remain unbeaten in Group A play.
The spunky Philippine team held a slim 46-44 lead at the half. They even racked up a 10-point lead at one point 24-14 but Iran’s American reinforcements – 7’2” Priest Lauderdale and 6’ 10” Jackson Vroman – who scored 75% of their team’s 44 points kept the West Asian Basketball Association champions close.
The two Americans who have an NBA pedigree – Lauderdale 28TH overall draft by the Atlanta Hawks in the NBA in 1996 and Vroman, the 31st pick overall of the 2004 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls but who suited up for the Phoenix Suns and the New Orleans Hornets – softened up the smaller Philippine frontline.
Smart Gilas’s 6’ 10” American import, Chester Jarrel “CJ” Giles was whistled for three fouls, Aldrech Ramos also for three, and Marnel Baracael for two all in the first half. That forced Gilas team Head Coach Rajko Toroman to go small but their trapping and double-teaming defense held the Iranians at bay.
Come the second half, it was time for Mahram’s national players led by the 6’9” Hamed Sohrabnejad and 6’3” Samad Nikkah Bahrami to shine as they wrested the lead for good at 49-48 after a trey by the latter.
Smart Gilas’ Andy Barroca, who once more led the Philippines in scoring with 18 points, drove in for a lay-up to stay close 58-56 but Mahram uncorked a 17-7 blitz to close out the third canto 75-63.
The Iranians didn’t even need Lauderdale anymore for the second half; his job done. Vroman led a more spirited Mahram team as he compiled a game and tournament high 42 points behind some devastating dunks and drives.
The tide turned when Giles picked up his fourth foul on a drive by Jackson at the 8:57 mark. The former draft pick of the Los Angeles Lakers finished with 14 points.
Despite giving up a lot in size, Smart Gilas, which went all-Filipino after Giles’ fourth foul, gamely battled on behind the shooting of Dylan Ababou and Baracael who both added 11 points each.
Mahram has five players who played for Toroman when he was the Head Coach of the Iranian National Team that won the 2007 FIBA Asia title and competed in the 2008 Beijing Olympics: Mahdi Karmany, Hamed Afagh, Hamed Sohrabnejad, Hooman Rezaee, and Samad Nikkah Bahrami.
The Philippines will get a bye on Thursday’s games before playing a powerful Lebanon Al Riyadi Beirut on Friday at 2pm.
Mahram Iran 98 – Vroman 42, Bahrami 19, Lauderdale 16, Kamrany 8, Sohrabnejad 5, Veishi 3, Kabir 3, Eslameih 2
Smart Gilas Philippines 87 – Barroca 18, Giles 14, Baracael 11, Ababou 11, Casio 9, Tiu 8, Jazul 8, Ramos 3, Cawaling 3, Ballesteros 2
No comments:
Post a Comment