WHILE he still anticipates a tough match against Iran in Smart Gilas Pilipinas’ coming tune-up games, June Mar Fajardo will not be able to face the one he was looking forward to competing against.
Longtime Iran star center Hamed Haddadi won’t be around when Gilas Pilipinas takes on his Iranian National team as he didn’t take the trip to Manila due to personal matters back home.
Smart Gilas will take on Iran in a closed-session practice game today, while in another tune-up game is set tomorrow at 7 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, wherein the event will be opened to the public.
That will be the first time that the public will see this version of Smart Gilas play a whole game as the team continues its build-up and training for the upcoming FIBA Olympic Qualifying tournament.
Once Fajardo, the two-time reigning Most Valuable Player of the Philippine Basketball Association and nationally recognized as the best player in the country today, learned that Gilas will have a pair of games against Iran, he immediately knew it will be a chance for him to test himself against Haddadi, who was a former National Basketball Association player.
But with Haddadi missing this trip, Fajardo won’t have the chance to sharper his saw against the gigantic 7-foot-2 slotman.
“Sayang,” said Fajardo upon learning that Haddadi won’t be playing for Iran for these tune-up games. “Maganda sanang match-up sa gitna. Magaling pa naman siya and test sana pero malakas pa rin naman sila.”
Iranian coach Dick Bauermann confirmed that Haddadi won’t indeed play against Smart Gilas but is still part of tha Iran national team and will still be the centerpiece of the squad when it also plays for the OQT in the Italy leg.
“He (Haddadi) needs to take care of personal things. He didn’t make our trip here and he’s not going to play,” said Iran coach Dirk Bauermann in his official presser.
He added that Haddadi is also unsure if he’ll be able to come to China for the continuation of Iran’s training.
“Whether he’ll be available for our next trip in China, I’m also unsure.”
Without Haddadi, Smart Gilas might have the edge upfront with the towering duo of 6-foot-11 naturalized import Andray Blatche and the 6-foot-10 Fajardo.
Following these series of games against Iran, Smart Gilas will head to Europe for the homestretch of its training.
In two weeks time, it will be holding camps in Greece and Italy to enhance its play and face tough competition there in more tune-up games.