Smart Gilas Pilipinas to collide against Hamed Haddadi-led squad in Jones Cup
Smart Gilas Pilipinas hasn’t seen 7-foot-2 Hamed Haddadi of Iran up close since the ambitious national team program geared toward the 2012 London Olympics began three years ago.
The Nationals will have the chance to size up the two-time Fiba Asia MVP and third-string center of the Memphis Grizzlies in the William Jones Cup on Aug. 6 to 14 in Taipei.
“Yes, he’ll (Haddadi) be playing in the Jones Cup. We’ll have the opportunity to gauge Iran with Haddadi on the team,” said Philippine five head coach Rajko Toroman.
Smart Gilas takes on the 2007 and 2009 Fiba Asia champion Iranians on the last playdate of the Jones Cup on Aug. 14.
Iran is aiming for a third straight Fiba Asia Championship crown on Sept. 15 to 25 in Wuhan, China where the winning finalist goes to the Olympics next year.
Haddadi, who received a qualifying offer for a contract extension with the Grizzlies more than a month ago, has freely rejoined the Iran NT due to the ongoing NBA lockout.
While Haddadi will be looking for another MVP performance in Wuhan, Fadi El Khatib, Lebanon’s basketball hero, has retired from his obligations with the national team.
El Khatib, one of Asia’s top players who failed to reach the NBA, recently announced his non-participation in Wuhan. Lebanon skipped the Jones Cup but remained on track in its preparation to steal the show in the Asian championship.
Smart Gilas opens its Jones Cup bid against Jordan on Aug. 6 and play United Arab Emirates the following day before taking a day’s rest.
Competition for the Filipinos in the Taipei joust resumes on Aug. 9 opposite South Korea, the first of six consecutive games capped by the meeting with Iran.
South Africa, Japan, Malaysia and host Chinese Taipei will face the Nationals in between.
Smart Gilas will not be able to flaunt its full strength in the Jones Cup since Talk ‘N Text’s Jimmy Alapag, Kelly Williams and Ranidel De Ocampo are bound to miss the tournament due to the ongoing PBA Governors Cup.
Despite their absence, Toroman will still have PBA stars Asi Taulava and Dondon Hontiveros at his disposal, basically fielding the same group which wound up in the semifinals of the Fiba Asia Champions Cup hosted by the country three months back. /inquirer
