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*** AFGHANI MEN BASKETBALL MAIN PAGE ***
 | Afganistan National Team 2007-2008 | |
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| NBAA- Imports and assembles 4 fiberglass courts for Kabul, Afghanistan | |
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Dear All of the Afghan Basketball and basketball community,
I am pleased to announce the National Basketball Association has imported and assembled four basketball fiberglass portable courts for the kids in Kabul, Afghanistan. The NBAA will now begin a very rigorous basketball program from the beginning to encourage and enhance the basketball growth in the country.
The NBAA will begin clinics, tournaments, and development even on the very minuet level. These are pictures of the newly assembled basketball courts where we will begin our change.
Naser Shahalemi
Founder of NBAA
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| Afghanistan loses its bid to qualify after 84-69 loss to Syria | |
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Qualifying Round
Game 2:
Syria - Afghanistan 84-69
(Q1: 22-11 Q2: 43-31 Q3: 62-53 Q4: 84-69)
The euphoria of the Afghani victory against Hong Kong (China) with a significant 8-point win 65-57 didn't last for 24 hours, as the Afghanistani team, made up entirely of Afghani expatriate players from the United States playing in ethnic Afghani-American basketball leagues could not stand against the formidable strength of a Syrian national basketball team. The disparity in experience was very evident and the game was never in contention except for a brief moment in the 4th when the Afghani team narrowed the margin to just five 64-59. But the Syrians retaliated with an onslaught of 18 consecutive points against a powerless Afghan side.
From opening quarter, Syrians had already established a lead with a doublle digit margin, stunning the Afghanis 15-3, an advantage the Syrians kept up despite a spirited effort by Sulaiman Aziz. The second quarter was more or less balanced, though the Syrians kept their lead and stayed ahead by twelve 43-31. The Afghanis were also plagued with early foul trouble. By he third quarter the Afghanis seemed to keep the momentum and through three-pointers by captain Yosouf Etamadi and Abdullah Karimi fired up the team to launch an onslaught that surprised the opponents coming dangerously close. But the Syrian response was swift stunning the inexperienced American-Afghani side that collapsed in the last few minutes.
Meanwhile Afghanistan head coach Zabi Subat said to the Asian Games official website that despite it all, he was proud with the performance his team put. "It is our first time here and you just wait until you see us next time", he promissd the reporter. "You saw how close we came and the good support we had and these results will mean a lot back home.” Top scorer was Syria's Sharif Sharif with 15 points.
Group C classification:
1. Syria 1-0
2. Afghanistan 1-1
3. Hong Kong 0-1
With this loss, the Afghani basketball selection will not take part in the official games where basketball events commence on the 30th.This is regardless of the result of the Syria - Hong Kong game due in 2 days time. Syria has qualified to the official rounds from Group C in addtion to Bahrain (Group A) and Uzbekistan (Group B) and Kazakhstan (Group D).
What remains to be seen though is how can the performances and achievements of expatriate players help the basketball programme within Afghanistan itself. What does that say about the basketball players within Afghanistan who were sided and missed on a huge opportunity of getting critical international playing experience.A valid question remains: Wasn't it better to give a fair chance to at least a few of the development basketball programmes within Afghanistan with only some token help from more experienced Afghanis with some college or professional playing experience helping the local players improve along the way? It also remains to be seen just how many of these assembled players in these preliminary games will remain truly committed to a proper national Afghanistan basketball programme that can play year round based on home-grown basketball talent. |
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| Proud Afghans make emotional return | |
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| | | The smiles on the faces of Afghanistan's basketball players said it all as they paraded their national flag during a lap of honour following a victorious return to international competition.
Afghanistan had just beaten Hong Kong, China in their opening match at the 15th Asian Games Doha 2006, following years of exile from the basketball scene.
For the players, coaching staff and officials, it was a chance for celebration that they were not prepared to let pass. Understandable, as opportunities for Afghanistan's sportsmen to represent their country have been few and far between in recent years.
That is all about to change. Apart from the basketball, Afghanistan will bring 35 other athletes to the Games, competing in sports such as taekwondo, boxing, fencing and wrestling.
“To be on the roster for Afghanistan is a big thing for us,” 19 year-old Farhad Nangialai, one of many basketball players based in the United States, told our courtside reporter. “We're all Afghans, friends, cousins. We didn't think playing basketball with each other would get to this point that we'd represent our nation.
"It's something any Afghan athlete in any sport dreams of. To one day put on the uniform of your country and represent them to the best of their ability.
“We're not playing for the name on the back of the jersey, but for the name on the front of the jersey."
The national pride was eminent from start to finish as Afghanistan battled to a 65-57 win over Hong Kong, China on Thursday 23 November to give themselves a chance of qualifying from a three-team qualifying group.
One day later, and with a passionate support cheering their every move, Afghanistan pushed group favourites Syria to the wire before losing 84-66.
The defeat and subsequent exit from the competition did not matter, however. “It is just a privilege to be here,” said head coach Zabi Subat, a player with the national team between 1973 and 1976.
After leading his Kabul high school to the national championship and coaching other school teams, Subat left the country instead of going into the military. Seeking to continue his education he ended up in the US by way of Libya and Germany.
It is from Los Angeles that he moulded a team worthy of competing on the international stage, with a number of Afghans coming through trials held in the US.
“The kids are very excited about being here and we are all very proud to represent Afghanistan,” Subat said. “It is the first time for a very long time that we have had a basketball team and I am very proud of them.
“Did you see how close we came against Syria? It was beautiful to see how well they performed.
“These results will be noticed back home. Everyone was keen to see how we would get on and the team can proud of their efforts.”
Performing well in Doha can only boost Afghanistan's sporting hopes for the future and it was left to a beaming Subat to pledge as his team departed the court: “You just watch us next time. We will be even better.”
(Courtesy of Doha 2006 official website) |
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| Stunning Afghani victory over Hong Kong in openning round of the Asian Games | |
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Asian Games Qualifying Round:
Game 1:
Afghanistan - Hong Kong 65-57
(Q1: 19-14 Q2: 34-33 Q3: 50-50 Q4: 65-57)
Wihin the preliminary rounds for qualifications to the Asian Games Basketball Tournament, being held at the Basketball Indoor Hall at Sport City in Doha, an Afghani selection coached by Zabi Zewalt and made up of players of Afghani origin from the United States with captain Yousof Etemadi has won a signficant game 65-57 against Hong Kong team in the opening day in Group C qualifyinmg games that includes Afghanistan, Hong Kong and Syria. One team will qualify from this group to the next round that will resume November 30.
The Afghanis started with a 9-0 lead. They continued their lead throughout first quarter to end it their favour 19-14 with key scoring from Bilal Azzi. By the second quarter Hong Kong had regained momentum with Lee Kiu Fung putting his team ahead 25-22 and contributing 13 points to the tally. But the stunning three-pointer by Abdullah Karimi, sent the Afghan team to lead again 34-33 at half-time.
A feverish third quarter saw a huge game and at one point a 12-2 Hong Kong run, but both teams tied 50-50 at the buzzer. The Afghanis with their physical power and strong defence prevailed in quarter 4 confining Hong Kong to scoring just 7 points as the Afghani onslaught of 15 impressive points gave them a deserved win 65-57. Team captan Yosouf Etemadi scored 16 in a majour performance. Nafi Mashriqi added another 16. .Coach Zabi Zewalt said to Asian Games reporter on court: “It is a big thing for us, it is the first time after a long time that we have had a basketball team. We are very excited, the kids are very good, and have a bright future. As a first time it is a privilege to be here and we are proud of that.”
The Afghan players were ecstatic and celebrated their victory over Hong Kong (China) with an emotional lap of honour round the court with their national flag. Afghanistan's selection has to confront Syria next. Game is scheduled Nov.24.
Afghanistan head coach: Zabi Subat
Afghanistan roster (in alphabetical order): Ali Amiri, Iwal Obaidullah Arghand, Sulaiman Aziz, Bilal Azizi, Yosouf Etemadi (captain), Habib Kabir, Khalid Kamal, Abdullah Karimi, Nafi Mashriqi, Farhad Nangialai, Mohammad Abdullah Roshan, Omar Secandary.
Other sports:
The Afghani basketball delegation is the biggest in all the sports Afghanistan is taking part for the Asian Games in Doha. Other sports include 9 Afghan players in Taekwondo, 7 in karate, 4 in wrestling, 4 in body building, 2 in Wu shu, 2 in cue sports and 1 each in atheltics, fencing and judo. More significantly, the team includes 5 women competitors in martial arts, including 3 in Taekwondo and 2 in karate. |
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| National player and youth coach Ghulam Ghous Nikbeen: For the love of the game in Afghanistan: | |
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Ghulam Ghous Nikbeen is one of the brightest examples of how much basketball is loved in Afghanistan and is followed by Afghani youth, despite all odds. His dedication to the game has earned him accolades both as a national player and in the domain of basketball coaching. He has consistently worked on acquiring of new coaching skills and has worked tirelessly in training Afghan youth in basketball making it a priority. The results are quite evident, witness the impressive work he has done in Herat, an Afghani province bordering Iran making it a province vibrant in basketball activity putting Herat in the forefront of best Afghani basketball talent and an example to follow for the entire country.
Ghulam Ghous Nikbeen started playing basketball at the age of 12 in Omar-e-Shaheed high school in the Afghani capital Kabul. In 1990 he joined the Education basketball team of Afghanistan under coaches Shams and Homayon Khan and a year later was selected for the Kabul B basketball team. He had to leave Kabul however because of the civil strife and he took refuge in Pakistan away from the war returning some time later to Herat Province in Afghanistan. Although he continued to train in basketball, there were unfortunately no organized sports as great restrictions were imposed by the Taliban on many sports activities.
Things only picked up in earnest in 2001 after the collapse of the Taliban and in November of that year Ghulam Ghous Nikbeen was selected for the Afghanistan National Basketball Team. In 2004, he took part with the team in games in Bangladesh as well as for qualifying rounds of Asian Basketball Championships in India.
In addition to his role as a national player, since 2002 Ghulam Ghous Nikbeen also started coaching the youth’s basketball team in Herat province (Afghanistan) and where basketball has prospered quite well. In July 2005 he was invited to an international coaches’ clinic sponsored by Asian Basketball Confederation in New Delhi, India. In a youth national tournament with teams from all over Afghanistan, Ghulam Ghous Nikbeen's coached Herat youth team won the trophy of the tournament that was held in May 2006. Consequently he was selected for the coaching staff of the Afghan national side as well as becoming national coach of Afghani Youth National selection. He continues to be a player in the Afghanistan National Basketball Team. Always active in sports, he also plays volleyball and has the ambition of becoming a top basketball coach.
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| Afghan National Team for the Asian Games in Doha: | |
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| Herat wins the Afghan tournament | |
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An Afghan basketball tournament was held at Kabul University in memory of Zahir, an Afghan basketball player who died in Germany. There were five teams taking part in the tournament. The final classification was as follows:
1. Herat team
2. Kabul Municipality
3. Afghan Club
4. Kabul University
During this tournament, Afghani basketball jerseys with national colours were displayed. The jerseys in beautiful green with black and red as additional colours (the national colours of Afghanistan) were a gift from the Turkish Embassy in Kabul. It is not clear whether these will be the specific jerseys that will be adopted by the national basketball team when the national basketball team representing Afghanistan goes to Qatar for the Doha Games 2006 early December. See website: http://www.doha-2006.com
So this tournament was a great prelude for expected Afghani participaton in the Doha Games 2006 that includes basketball. The 15th Asian Games (Doha 2006) will be held from 1 to 15 December 2006 with Afghanistan taking part with a national team selected from best players in Afghanistan and possible inclusion of a number of expatriate players of experience of Aghani origin from abroad.
Our picture shows Qais Rasulee 6'8" center of the Afghan Club (wearing jersey #16) and Hekmat 6'6" power forward for Herat Club wearing the jersey #15. |
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| 2006 Doha Asian Games - Afghanistan in Group C | |
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| | | Newcomers Afghanistan are set to participate in Doha for the Asian Games.
They are grouped with Hong Kong and Syria in Group C , with Hong Kong being an easy opponent for the Afghani team, while Syria should be the dominant factor within the first phase, which leaves Afghanistan with almost no chance to reach the 2nd Phase.
In the Meanwhile in Germany, two young Afghanis are set to play in the NBBL , the first national youth basketball league.
Matien Askaryar, a 1,83 PG (78kg ,Born 2.2.1988) who played in the junior teams of Leverkusen and Schwelm joined the Phoenix Hagen Juniors to compete on the highest level, while Habib Hadi, who is a guard/forward is standing 1,91m (85kg , Born:10.11.1990) and should be receiving a lot of playing time with TV Langen. |
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