Jordan's mission is clear: reclaim glory

MANILA (Enzo Flojo's Asia on my Mind) - When Jordan lost to China, 93-60, on September 20 2011 at the 26th FIBA Asia Championship, many Asian basketball observers were to quick to write off the West Asian squad.

And who could fault these hoop fans? Jordan had lost three of its last four games in that tournament, and they were heading into the knockout round as the fourth seed from Group F. They squandered an 18-point lead against the Philippines earlier in the tourney, and they really couldn't get anything going against hometown favorite China. As if to add insult to injury, the Jordanians, coached then by Tab Baldwin, were to face the mighty Iranians next.

At that time, Iran was on a dominant run and seemed indomitable. Team Melli topped Group E and had won its first six games of the competition by an average of 45.8 points, including double-digit wins over traditional powerhouses Lebanon and Korea. They had, arguably, the continent's most fearsome starting five, which featured former NBA player Hamed Haddadi, future NBA draft pick Arsalan Kazemi, iconic swingman Samad Nikkhah Bahrami, and sublime backcourt mates Hamed Afagh and Mahdi Kamrani. All of these men were at their physical prime and in the top tier of players at their respective positions relative to Asian basketball.

In contrast, coach Baldwin's Jordanian squad was filled to the brim with grizzled veterans. They had five players who were 30 or older by the time they faced Iran in the Quarter-Finals, and all of these "old timers" were part of their core unit.

As fate would have it, however, Jordan pulled off one of the most stunning reversals in FIBA Asia lore. Behind amazing shooting, stellar defense and a never-say-die attitude, Al Nashama prevailed over Iran, 88-84. This unexpected triumph lit a fire for Jordan, and they continued their winning run in the Semi-Finals, beating former tormentors Philippines, 75-61. And though the Jordanians eventually lost a heart-stopper in the championship game against China, 70-69, it was clear that what they did in Wuhan was nothing short of magical. It was, after all, the best finish of any Jordanian team in tournament history.

Fast-forward to 2015. Jordan is now a very different team. Most of its veterans have now called it a career, while icons like Sam Daghlas and Zaid Abbas, though called up to the national pool, remain looming question marks. Daghlas is now 35, while Abbas is 31. Naturalized player Rasheim Wright, who has buoyed Jordan's rise since entering the fray in 2007, is turning 34 this year and might not even join the team anymore.

The team's record since 2011 hasn't been dotted with high marks: they missed the 2012 FIBA Asia Cup, placed seventh at the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship in Manila, and finished fifth at the 2014 FIBA Asia Cup. They've won just seven of their last 15 games at the senior level of FIBA Asia.

Without a doubt, Al Nashama's main goal in 2015 is to try and return to the top shelf of Asian basketball. Ironically enough, coaching them now is veteran Serbian tactician Rajko Toroman, who coached rival Philippines from 2009-2011. Toroman brings a ton of experience to the team, but, at least so far, early returns aren't good.

Under Toroman's watch, Jordan finished fifth in the 2014 William Jones Cup in Chinese Taipei and, again, missed the Semi-Finals at the 2014 FIBA Asia Cup in Wuhan, China. Despite these mediocre results, he is expected to remain in charge of the team.

"Future", it seems, is the key word for Jordan, as an influx of young talent brings the promise of maybe reclaiming lost glory.

Vastly-improved Mousa Al-Awadi (1.88m) hopes to take on a bigger role, while young guards Majdi Al-Ghazawi and Yazan Al-Taweel hope to learn from their more decorated teammates. The players who have generated the most buzz, however, are up-and-coming big men Ahmad Al-Dwairi (2.09m) and Mohammad Shaher Hussein (2.10m), who are expected to anchor the middle.

The first step in their journey, of course, is doing well in the 2015 West Asia Basketball Championship, where three qualifying places for the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship are up for grabs. Unless a monumental disaster occurs, Jordan is sure to make the grade, but the real gauntlet will be thrown in Changsha, China, where Al Nashama's spirit will surely be tested once again.

Enzo Flojo

FIBA

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