Tabriz and Mahram will play in final after dramatic semifinals clashes. Both teams posted wins in fifth games to win the series at 3-2.
Shahrdari Tabriz edged Naft Abadan 99-92 after overtime. Jourdan Demuynck (198-G-90, college: Prairie View A&M) top-scored for the winners with 32 points and Hrvoje Puljko (193-G-83, agency: Mansfield and Associates) poured in 21. Steven Burtt (189-G-84, college: Iona) answered with massive 45 points in the losing effort. Naft was leading 81-82 till last second but 1 free throw by Asghar Kardoust led them to overtime.
Petrochimi and Naft Abadan played the final games Last year but they lost 2-3 in the semi-final this season. Mahram started the season with young local players and added Pullen and Moultrie for play-off games.
Hamed Haddadi (ex Xinjiang FT) is a newcomer at Champville - 2 days ago
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HAMED HADDADI Champville (LBL) strengthened their roster with addition of 33-year old Iranian international center Hamed Haddadi (218-115kg-85). He started the season at Xinjiang Flying Tigers in Chinese CBA league. In 22 games he recorded 10.5ppg, 10.7rpg, 3.1apg and 1.6bpg this season. The last season Haddadi played at Blue Whales (also in CBA) where in 36 games he averaged impressive 20.1ppg, 14.3rpg (#3 in the league), 4.6apg and 1.8bpg. Great season indeed as he was voted to Asia-B... [read more]
HAMED HADDADI
Champville (LBL) strengthened their roster with addition of 33-year old Iranian international center Hamed Haddadi (218-115kg-85). He started the season at Xinjiang Flying Tigers in Chinese CBA league. In 22 games he recorded 10.5ppg, 10.7rpg, 3.1apg and 1.6bpg this season. The last season Haddadi played at Blue Whales (also in CBA) where in 36 games he averaged impressive 20.1ppg, 14.3rpg (#3 in the league), 4.6apg and 1.8bpg. Great season indeed as he was voted to Asia-Basket.com All-Chinese CBA Honorable Mention. The list of the past achievements is quite long as among others he was voted Asia-Basket.com All-Iranian Superleague Player of the Year back in 2014. Haddadi has been also a member of Iranian international program for some years. He has regularly played for Iranian senior team since 2004 and previously for U20 National Team in 2004. Haddadi represented Iran at the Asian Games in Indonesia last year. He is quite experienced player. Haddadi has played also professionally in NBA (Phoenix Suns), NBA G League (Santa Cruz Warriors) and Iran (Paykan, Saba, Petrochimi, Mahram and Melli Haffari Ahvaz). The scouts decsribe him following way:
An inside player with great instinct for the rebound and two very strong hands. He's very coordinated, knows ho to do with the ball and loves to work in practice. Can score from inside and can hit a shot from mid-range, needs to improve his defense and his toughnees, at present he seems a little too soft fro the NBA battles in the paint. Also, he is smaller than the 7-2 he is listed at..
TEHRAN (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers) - Iran already have one step in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 door, but getting at least one more win should formally seal their qualification. In this fourth of a five-part series, the focus will be on Team Melli, which will play two home games next week to cap off their Asian Qualifiers. The Scenario Right now, Iran are at solo second spot in Group F with 7 wins against 3 losses. Australia, the group's top team, have already... [read more]
TEHRAN (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers) - Iran already have one step in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 door, but getting at least one more win should formally seal their qualification.
In this fourth of a five-part series, the focus will be on Team Melli, which will play two home games next week to cap off their Asian Qualifiers. The Scenario Right now, Iran are at solo second spot in Group F with 7 wins against 3 losses. Australia, the group's top team, have already booked their tickets to China, and Iran are aiming to follow suit.
To do so, Team Melli need to win at least one of their next games at home. They first face Japan before ending their Asian Qualifiers against the Australians. If Iran win at least one game, they'll finish with 8 wins and 4 losses, which will be good enough to get them through to the World Cup.
If Iran lose both of their sixth window games, however, it could potentially place them in a three-way tie with Japan and the Philippines if all of them finish at 7 wins and 5 losses. In that unlikely scenario, there's still a slight chance Iran will slip out of the World Cup race.
Coach Mehran Shahintab's boys have a strong chance to win, though, given how Japan will be without big star Rui Hachimura and the fact that the Iranians will be playing at home.
Iran at the FIBAWC Iran qualified to the last two FIBA Basketball World Cups - 2010 in Turkey and 2014 in Spain.
They have an overall World Cup record of 2 wins against 8 losses. Their first ever World Cup win was in 2010 when they beat Tunisia, 71-58. Their second win was in 2014 as they dispatched of Egypt, 88-73. They also very nearly upset France in 2014, 81-76.
Bannering Iran in 2014 were the dynamic duo of Hamed Haddadi and Samad Nikkhah Bahrami, both of whom are set to make a comeback to the national team in the final Asian Qualifiers window. Aside from them, other players from 2014 who are still on the current national pool are Rouzbeh Arghavan, Sajjad Mashayekhi, Behnam Yakhchali and Mohammad Jamshidi.
Coach Mehran doesn't want to leave anything to chance for the final window, especially with their World Cup berths at stake. He knows his players are motivated, but he also wants to keep pushing them and ensure their passage to the biggest event in international hoops.
"Our players have made a decision to play hard and play with heart," he said. "I think the players are motivated, and I expect they will do their jobs very well. We'll give some more responsibilities to some players, especially the bigs because we will play Japan and Australia."
One guy whom coach Mehran hopes will be able to step up is newcomer Mike Rostampour. The 6ft 8in (2.03m) forward was born in the United States but has finally heeded the call of Team Melli. He last saw action for Slovakian club BC Prievidza and could see some significant minutes in the final window.
"I feel extremely proud to be an Iranian-American," he said. "Iran is a great country and the people are very proud. Win or lose, Iranian fans always show more love and support to their teams than any other country in the world." Expert Opinion (Jeff Taylor)
Iran have impressed during much of their Asia Qualifiers campaign, yet there have also been games when they did not cover themselves in glory. Remember the 74-66 loss at Iraq on November 24, 2017? Yikes! Where did that come from. There was that 77-75 escape act at Qatar on June 29. Qatar could have taken the lead with 17 seconds left but missed a free-throw and then Arsalan Kazemi's put-back dunk at the buzzer saved the day. Even in the last window, Iran had a chance to avenge their FIBA Asia Cup 2017 beatdown at the hands of Australia yet the game, as the 43-24 scoreline suggested at the break, was over at half-time.
When it's all said and done, though, we'll seem at the 32-team World Cup in China. And I much prefer to remember the positives, like the 78-70 triumph at the Philippines in the last window.
It's not inconceivable that Iran will lose twice in the next window. I expect Australia to prevail in Tehran on February 24 so it's the game before then, on February 21 at home to Japan, that everyone should be watching. Japan go into this window riding a six-game winning streak, one that started with a home triumph over Australia on June 29 and also included a 70-56 triumph over the Iranians on 70-56. Japan will be missing Yuta Watanabee and Rui Hachimura, a pair that combined 43 of their team's points that day, as well as 11 rebounds and 5 steals. However, the Japanese will have Nick Fazekas, their formidable center and the player that has made the biggest difference for the team in their winning run.
For them to finish fourth, they must lose to Australia and then fall to Japan by at least 8 points, and the Philippines would have to beat Qatar and Kazakhstan, while Qatar would have to beat Japan (I don't see that happening). Even then, Iran could qualify as the best fourth-placed team. So yes, Iran I expect will have done just enough to make it to China.
Superleague Round 14: Petrochimi loses to Chemidor - 7 days ago
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Here is the last round review presented by ESL.
Round in Superleague means a new league leader. The biggest surprise took place in Tehran where host Chemidor (12-1) beat league's leader Petrochimi (12-1) 82-67 on Monday evening. It ended at the same time the 11-game winning streak of Petrochimi. It was a key game for the top position in the league. Chemidor have an impressive 12-game winning streak. They keep a position of league leader, which they share with defeated Petrochimi. Petro... [read more]
Round in Superleague means a new league leader. The biggest surprise took place in Tehran where host Chemidor (12-1) beat league's leader Petrochimi (12-1) 82-67 on Monday evening. It ended at the same time the 11-game winning streak of Petrochimi. It was a key game for the top position in the league. Chemidor have an impressive 12-game winning streak. They keep a position of league leader, which they share with defeated Petrochimi. Petrochimi will play next round against Zob Ahan trying to make it back to the top of the standings. Chemidor will try to continue on its current victory against fourth ranked Shahrdari Gorgan on the road. Eighth-ranked Pegah Tehran (2-11) made lots of trouble for third ranked Naft Abadan (10-2). The visitors from Abadan managed to secure only two-point victory 74-72. However their fans expected much easier game. Naft Abadan have an impressive five-game winning streak. They maintain third position with 10-2 record having just three points less than leader Chemidor. Pegah Tehran lost fourth consecutive game. Newly promoted team keeps the eighth place with 11 games lost. Naft Abadan will play against bottom-ranked Raad (#9) in the next round where they are favorite. Pegah Tehran will have a break next round. Bottom-ranked Raad (0-13) tried to put together a comeback for its first victory of the season, but they fell short in the 92-65 loss to fourth ranked Shahrdari Gorgan (8-4) in on Monday evening. Shahrdari Gorgan have a solid four-game winning streak. They maintain fourth position with 8-4 record. Newly promoted Raad still closes the standings with 13 games lost. Shahrdari Gorgan will meet at home league's leader Chemidor in the next round and it may be the game of the week. Raad will play against Naft Abadan (#3) and hopes to get finally their first victory.
In the last game of round 14 Mashad was defeated by Zob Ahan in Esfahan 89-85.
Round in Superleague means a new league leader. The biggest surprise took place in Tehran where host Chemidor (12-1) beat league's leader Petrochimi (12-1) 82-67 on Monday evening. It ended at the same time the 11-game winning streak of Petrochimi. It was a key game for the top position in the league. Chemidor have an impressive 12-game winning streak. They keep a position of league leader, which they share with defeated Petrochimi. Petrochimi will play next round against Zob Ahan trying to make it back to the top of the standings. Chemidor will try to continue on its current victory against fourth ranked Shahrdari Gorgan on the road.
Eighth-ranked Pegah Tehran (2-11) made lots of trouble for third ranked Naft Abadan (10-2). The visitors from Abadan managed to secure only two-point victory 74-72. However their fans expected much easier game. Naft Abadan have an impressive five-game winning streak. They maintain third position with 10-2 record having just three points less than leader Chemidor. Pegah Tehran lost fourth consecutive game. Newly promoted team keeps the eighth place with 11 games lost. Naft Abadan will play against bottom-ranked Raad (#9) in the next round where they are favorite. Pegah Tehran will have a break next round.
There was no surprise in Esfahan where 7th ranked Mashad (2-10) was defeated by fifth ranked Zob Ahan (6-6) 89-85 on Monday. Newly promoted Zob Ahan maintains fifth position with 6-6 record. Mashad lost fifth consecutive game. Mashad at the other side, also newcomer in the league, keeps the seventh place with ten games lost. Zob Ahan will meet league's second-placed Petrochimi in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Mashad will play against Army (#6) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Bottom-ranked Raad (0-13) tried to put together a comeback for its first victory of the season, but they fell short in the 92-65 loss to fourth ranked Shahrdari Gorgan (8-4) in on Monday evening. Shahrdari Gorgan have a solid four-game winning streak. They maintain fourth position with 8-4 record. Newly promoted Raad still closes the standings with 13 games lost. Shahrdari Gorgan will meet at home league's leader Chemidor in the next round and it may be the game of the week. Raad will play against Naft Abadan (#3) and hopes to get finally their first victory.
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