By the way, half of the Kyrgyzstan basketball team for this tournament DIED IN A PLANE CRASH just minutes after their Iran-bound plane left the Bishkek airport last August 24. Its so sad because accord. to a Wikipedia acct., Kyrgyzstan only replaced Uzbekistan which actually qualified this Under-18 tournament but begged off.

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RP Nationals shock host Iran in Fiba-Asia youth basketball
Full Story

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine team rallied from a 10-point deficit to stun host Iran 85-84 in a thrilling, highly physical quarterfinal game in the 20th FIBA-Asia Youth Basketball Championship Tuesday night in Tehran.

RR Garcia, Mark de Guzman, Frank Golla and Matt Wright sparked the Filipinos’ comeback from a 64-54 deficit in the final seven minutes of the match.

Samuel Marata hit two pressure-packed free throws in the dying seconds to clinch the Filipinos’ dramatic win over an Iran team that was already safe into the semis.
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astig! come from behind win for the RP Squad vs host Iran. sana magtuloy tuloy ang momentum.

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Nabasa ko na hindi raw naglaro yung top gunner ng Iran, may pinagpahinga for the next games. Totoo ba?
Anyway, a win is a win so congrats! Sana malayo ang marating ng mga batang ito in the near future. Sana makapagdala ng kaligayahan sa basketball-loving Pinoys.

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Catch my life here.

at least kahit papano nanalo ang pinoy dito kahit na di na sila kasali sa semis ... hhhhmmmm .. gaya ng sabi nga ni musicz di nag-gel ang mga pinoy kasi naman tuwing may game na ganyan eh saka pa lang namimili mga pinoy na akala mo parang mga NBA superstar na kapag isinalang eh mananalo agad ... di na nadala mga opisyal natin sa ganyang kalakaran ... kung ibang nasyon naghahanda isang taon bago ang kumpetisyon tayo naman 2 buwan lang ang preparasyon bago ang tournament .. hhhaaaayyyy ... pabatok nga ....

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Many thanks to Miss casSidiE for this SiGgY...

Talo tayo sa China for fifth place, 86-63. Laglag tayo sa battle for 7th place against Lebanon. Lebanon is 3-0 sa Prelims and 1-2 sa Classification. Tayo naman 2-1 and 1-2. Go Pinoy! Sana matapos tayo at the upper half of the final standings.

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Catch my life here.

Team Pilipinas clinches 7th place by defeating Lebanon 74 - 63.

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IRI/KAZ - Iran romp past Kazakhstan for title
LINK

TEHRAN (FIBA Asia U18 Championship for Men) - Hosts Iran regained the FIBA Asia U18 Championship for Men in style, mauling a hapless Kazakhstan 95-76 in front of more than a capacity crowd at the Azadi Stadium court on Friday.

Iran had won this title previously in the 2004 edition at Bangalore. Kazakhstan were playing their maiden final.

Both Iran and Kazakhstan had already qualified for the FIBA U19 World Championship for Men in New Zealand next year.

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FINAL PLACINGS

1. Iran
2. Kazakhstan
3. Syria
4. Japan
5. China
6. Korea
7. Philippines
8. Lebanon
9. Chinese Taipei
10. Jordan
11. Saudi Arabia
12. Hong Kong
13. India
14. UAE
15. Malaysia

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SBP tapping Iran mentor for Philippine quintet
By June Navarro
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 0200 09/09/2008

The genius behind Iran’s flourishing basketball program could be the answer the Philippine national team badly needs to regain its footing on the international scene.

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) is close to sealing a deal with Iran head coach Rajko Toroman whom officials approached last week during the FIBA-Asia Championship for junior men in Tehran, Iran.

SBP executive director Noli Eala revealed that Toroman, the man who brought Iran to the Olympics after 60 years, would be tapped as consultant and eventually as head of the national basketball team program.

The 53-year-old Serbian led the Iranians to the FIBA-Asia championship last year in Tokushima, Japan. The tournament was the continental qualifier for the Beijing Olympics.

The Iranians finished 11th in the Games, an improvement on their 14th-place finish in the 1948 London Olympics.

If the SBP and Toroman come to terms, Eala said, the veteran coach of many European clubs will arrive in Manila no later than Sept. 21 to watch the University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball finals and to formalize his contract.

“He (Toroman) gave us his terms and we think it’s reasonable,” said Eala. “It’s now just a matter of finalizing the contract.”

Eala, the former PBA commissioner, also said at least three offers came Toroman’s way after his contract expired with the Iranian team.

Toroman was also offered a contract extension by Iran, a head coaching job with the Lebanon men’s team and an assistant coach portfolio with the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA.

Toroman’s ace player, 7-foot-2 Hamed Haddadi, will see action with the Grizzlies after the NBA cleared the slotman to play in the league.

“He’s a skills coach and he’s responsible for developing the skills of Haddadi,” said Eala. “We also have a lot of tall players and he could do the same for us.”

Eala mentioned 6-foot-11 Filipino-American Gregory Slaughter of the University of Visayas, 6-foot-9 Junmar Fajardo of the University of Cebu and 6-foot-9 Japeth Aguilar as three of the players Toroman could develop.

“It’s one piece of the puzzle to help the Philippine team achieve its long-term goals,” said Eala.

Eala said the SBP also considered tapping former Chinese team mentor Jonas Kazlauskas and Lithuanian coach Rimas Kurtinaitis.

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^^Mukhang dahan-dahan na tayo nagising, buti na lang at naisipan na nilang kumuha ng consultant na taga ibang bansa..kasi kung puro tayo lang pababa ng pababa ang ranking natin...

Baka ulanin ng protesta na naman iyan kung nandito na iyan..

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sana naman eh huwag na nating pairalin ang pride for now in hiring a foreign consultant dahil yan ang tama ngayon why not mag under training dun sa foreign coach ang mga prospective coaches natin para kung kaya na nila eh sila na ang mag manage ng philippine team

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Close to signing?..nahh..if i were him i'd pick the offer from the Memphis Grizliess...mas maganda exposure dun..

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Download Free MP3 here

^^iyung coach/trainer ang close on signing Pareng Korn..iyung star player niya ang nasa Grizzles..kasi mag expire na ang contract niya sa Iranian team.

Tama nga Pareng Musicz..napanahon na kailangan na natin ng development para sa Basketball natin kasi napag iwanan na tayo sa Asia. Sana nga di ito salubungin ng protesta.

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Mas gusto ko sana yung coach ng Lithuania. Directionally, the move is good. Problema na lang diyan yung communication, culture at pag transfer ng knowledge.

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Manu20 said:
^^iyung coach/trainer ang close on signing Pareng Korn..iyung star player niya ang nasa Grizzles..kasi mag expire na ang contract niya sa Iranian team.

pare nakalagay kase toh sa post oh

Toroman was also offered a contract extension by Iran, a head coaching job with the Lebanon men’s team and an

assistant coach portfolio with the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA

.

di ba tama naman pagkaintindi ko?..assistant coach portfolio..

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Download Free MP3 here

^^di ata nabasa iyan baka nga offer ng Grizzles para siya iyung kakausap sa Iranian Player...

Ser Kid..gusto mo talaga ang style ng Lithunian team ah..kung sabagay mukhang fit naman sa atin iyung system ng Lithuania..

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Serbian to coach RP five?
By Joaquin Henson
Tuesday, September 9, 2008

The Serbian who piloted Iran to the FIBA-Asia title in Tokushima last year for a ticket to the Beijing Olympics may soon coach the Philippine national basketball team.

SBP executive director Noli Eala said yesterday he broached the idea to Rajko Toroman during the recent FIBA-Asia Youth Championships in Tehran.

“Toroman confirmed that his contract to coach Iran has expired and he’s not renewing,” said Eala. “He’s definitely coming to Manila late this month but at the moment, all he wants is a break from basketball. He’s now in Serbia visiting his grandson for three weeks. He hasn’t been home for 10 months.”

Eala said Toroman was offered a non-guaranteed contract to work for the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA but he’s not inclined to accept. The contract is probably contingent on Iran ’s 7-2, 254-pound center Hamed Hadadi making the team. The Grizzlies signed Hadadi to a contract after he averaged 16.6 points and 11.2 rebounds in five games for Iran at the Beijing Olympics. Whether Hadadi cracks the lineup depends on how he performs in tryouts.

Eala invited Toroman to fly to Manila last weekend but he declined. Toroman, however, has confirmed he will come over late this month to watch the NCAA and UAAP finals.

“I wanted him to witness the Ateneo-La Salle game last Saturday and see for himself how popular the game is among Filipinos,” continued Eala. “I told him we average about 10,000 fans for a PBA game and 23,000 fans watched Game 7 of the last finals. He couldn’t believe it. He’s excited to work in a country where basketball is the No. 1 sport.”

Eala said he has briefed SBP president Manny Pangilinan on Toroman and got the go-signal to negotiate a deal.

Although Toroman appears to be the leading candidate for the job, other options are Vlade Djurovic of Serbia , Bernardo Murphy of Argentina, Alan Richardson of England and Jonas Kazlauskas of Lithuania.

Eala said Kazlauskas, who coached China in the last Olympics, will likely be scratched from the list because of his hefty asking price of $500,000 a year.

“Toroman is perfect for the job because of his credentials, temperament and attitude,” continued Eala. “He’s calm and collected. He seems to be very patient, isn’t demanding. Besides, the results of his work prove his capability.”

A foreign coach is what the SBP is considering for the national team that will compete in the 2011 FIBA-Asia Championships for a slot in the London Olympics the next year. Before 2011, the PBA will take charge of the national squad with its own coach for the 2009 FIBA-Asia Championships to qualify the top three finishers for the 2010 World Championships in Turkey.

Toroman, 53, was the coach when Iran beat the Philippines, 75-69, in Tokushima last year. Kerby Raymundo and Jimmy Alapag were the only nationals in double figures.

“He remembered the Philippine team and told me he was scared of us,” related Eala. “He respects Asi (Taulava) and is very impressed with our guards, particularly Jimmy. With a few more inches, Jimmy could’ve dominated the tournament, he mentioned.”

Toroman also singled out Mark Caguioa for his offense.

“He thinks Mark’s running shot is one of the best in the world,” continued Eala. Toroman, whose son Denis plays professional basketball in Slovenia, was an assistant coach with the Yugoslavian national team from 1991 to 1995. He coached the Yugoslavian under-22 team to the European crown in 1996. Before taking the job in Iran, Toroman coached teams in Hungary, Cyprus, Holland and Belgium.

Eala said he will recommend a young coaching staff to backstop the foreign coach.

“At the start, we’ll ask Chot (Reyes) to work with Toroman or whoever is our foreign coach,” said Eala. “But to prepare for the future, we’ll look to fill the staff with young coaches like Allan Gregorio, Mike Reyes or Beaujing Acot. Mike, for instance, is showing a lot of potential as Yayoy Alcoseba’s chief assistant with Cebu in Liga Pilipinas. He also happens to be Chot’s brother.”

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