Powershift?

May 16, 2010 | Posted by Benjie

EhadadivsMing

Photo Courtesy: Swiatkoszykowki.blox.pl

It can be said that only basketball at the Asian Games and FIBA-Asia Championship are considered the major basketball tournaments in Asia. The latter being the continental qualifier for the Olympics and the World Championship. Some competitions like the FIBA-Asia Champions Cup, William Jones Cup, FIBA-Asia Stankovic Cup and Dubai International Basketball Tournament among others are also well represented by member countries . The influx of European coaches to the Middle Eastern countries has brought intense competition in the region last decade thereby challenging traditional powerhouse China and second-liner South Korea, both from East Asia. Is basketball power shifting from the east to the other side of Asia?

2000-2004

In 2001 FIBA-Asia Championship, China dominated the rest of Asia to capture the title with Lebanon as second followed by South Korea at third place. The following year at the 2002 Busan Asian Games, host country South Korea edged out China in overtime to steal the gold medal in what was considered as one of the greatest upsets in Asian basketball history. Kazakhstan, meanwhile bagged the bronze medal. In the 2003 Olympic qualifier held in Harbin, China, the Chinese and the South Koreans met again at the Finals which the former exacted their revenge. Qatar ended up in third place.

In short, China and South Korea are constantly at the top three spots in three tourneys in the first half of the decade.

2005-2009

The later part of the decade, however, had been telling a different story. In 2005 FIBA-Asia Championship, China maintained the top spot with Lebanon and Qatar at second and third place respectively. A year later at the Asian Games held in Doha, Qatar, China still bagged the gold medal while Qatar and Iran settled for silver and bronze. With China already assured of an Olympic berth in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, they sent their ‘B’ team in the 2007 Olympic qualifiers. As a result, it paved the way for the Iranians to win the crown in the tournament. Lebanon and South Korea completed the elite list. Finally, in the 2009 continental championship, Iran made a statement that even an ‘A’ team from China cannot unseat them as the Asian champions beating the Chinese for the title. Jordan finished third.

It can be noted that two West Asian countries are in the top three in all premier competitions from 2005 until 2009.

So, is basketball power really shifting from the east to the west? Yes. Unless East Asians overhaul their respective programs, Middle Eastern countries gain momentum in basketball dominance in Asia.