BEIRUT (Lebanon)- It is certainly an irony of sorts that Mehran Shahintab will be a “debutant” at the in the FIBA WASL West Asia 2024/2025. The 66-year-old is by far one of the most accomplished coaches from Iran and yet a club under his tutelage has made it to FIBA’s elite club competition for the region only in its third season.
Therefore, any conversation with him can never be confined to the rote and routine of the prospects of his team in the competition.
“Regional games have been held in different formats before, and they have all helped the growth of basketball in these countries,” was Shahintab’s quick assessment of the competition as he prepared the reigning Iran league champions Tabiat for the Round 1 games of FIBA WASL West Asia 2024/2025.
“But I think this format has a better approach and has been able to move the region forward, despite all the problems it is facing” added Shahintab who helmed Iran to their first ever pole position on the podium with the title-triumph at the 2004 FIBA U18 Asia Cup in Bengaluru.
Shahintab also went on to coach Saba Battery to back-to-back titles – in 2007 and 2008 – in the erstwhile FIBA Asia Champions Cup, the forerunner to BCL Asia. The top three teams from FIBA WASL West Asia qualify to FIBA WASL Final 8, from where teams qualify to BCL Asia.
He was quick to cut short any comparison.
“The generation of Iranian players is changing, and as you can see, there have been many changes even in our national teams too,” Shahintab said.
“The current players need experience and are improving. We are hopeful for the future. Our team is a combination of experienced and young players, plus a few good foreign players.
“This is the second year of the team's formation and we hope for good results in the domestic league and the WASL,” he added.
FIBA