The Iranian National Basketball team dominated the recently concluded Jones Cup 2013 as they sweep the competition and regain their crown in the annual competition in Taiwan. The 2012 champion Philippines was absent in the tournament for security reasons, thereby giving the Iranians an easy journey to the title.
NBA veteran center Hamed Haddadi and superstar swingman Samad Nikkhah Bahrami lead Iran to the title of the 2013 edition of the Jones Cup, an annual basketball event hosted by Taiwan. Iran won all their six games against some of the toughest teams in Asia.
The national basketball team of Iran’s domination in the Jones Cup proved once and for all that the Iranians are heavy favorites in the upcoming 2013 FIBA Asia Championship to be held in the Philippines this coming August 2013.
Iran won their games against Jordan (64-57), Chinese Taipei Team B (77-64), Egypt (90-54), South Korea (71-68), Japan (60-55), United States (86-62), and Chinese Taipei Team A (72-67) to win the tournament for the fourth time in five years. The only time that the Iranians was not able to capture the championship when the Philippines won the title last year.
The Iranians won the Jones Cup title despite missing Iranian top player, Arsalan Kazemi, who was drafted in the NBA in the second round. He played for the Philadelphia 76ers summer league squad. It is still uncertain if Kazemi will be available for the national team of Iran in the 27th FIBA Asia Championship.
