Iran Takes Nothing for Granted at WABA Championship: Coach
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Newly-appointed coach of the Iranian national basketball team, Mehran Hatami, takes nothing for granted at the upcoming WABA Championship.
The event tips off on Sunday in Amman, Jordan, and while Iran announced a roster that has players with experience, there are also newcomers that have to prove they belong.
All of the players will be hoping to impress new coach Mehran Hatami, the 52-year-old who turned out for Team Melli at the Asian Games and FIBA Asia Championships during the 1990s.
"WABA is an unpredictable competition," Hatami told FIBA.com. "All the teams are ready and well prepared for it."
Because Lebanon is the host of the FIBA Asia Cup 2017, four teams will now qualify for the continental Championship at the WABA event.
Hatami is cautious, but also feeling good about his charges.
"Our players are ready," he said. "They’ve been playing a lot in the domestic league and they’re in great shape."
While some of the big names in Iranian basketball are not with the team now, there was a lot of promise shown by those that played last year.
At the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Italy, players like Jamshidi, Kazemi and Yakhchali had some terrific moments. The country nearly upset Mexico and reached the Semi-Final but fell, 75-70.
"We have some young players in the camp who are trying hard to make a position and have a place in the national team," he said. "They are motivated and that's something good for us."
