Seventh place at World Championships for GB Men
Great Britain came out with a point to prove after their defeat in the quarter finals to Turkey yesterday and it was Terry Bywater who instigated this, opening the match with two huge three pointers to open GB’s scoring. However, the three big unit struggled to contain Iran defensively and Iran’s Ahmadi, with 10points of his own in the first quarter, kept the score close. The change to the pressing unit towards the end of the first caused Iran problems offensively and GB took advantage of this to open up a seven point gap, 27-20.
In comparison, the second quarter saw both teams struggle to score with any consistency, and give away numerous turnovers, which made it in to a scrappy period of the game. Gaz Choudhry scored nine points in the quarter as GB won it 14 -12, to give them a nine point lead going into the break.
The line-up of Manning, Highcock, Jama, Fosbrook and Sagar started the second half with a bang, going out on a 6-0 unanswered run as they forced three quick turnovers from Iran to push GB out to a fifteen point lead. Iran weren’t going to let GB run away with it and managed to draw the quarter and go into the final ten minutes nine points behind.
The momentum stayed with Iran at the start of the final quarter with GB’s pressing line-up not proving as effective as it had in the first. Through their playmaker Ahmadi and forward Gholamazad, Iran went on a ten point unanswered run of their own and drew the game back to within just one point with six minutes remaining. With just under two minutes remaining, the score was 68-65 to GB, but the insertion of Bywater back into the game gave GB the pick me up that they needed. Iran’s physicality also proved to be the undoing of them again, losing Ahmadi, who picked up his fifth personal foul, and getting into team foul trouble as GB scored 13 from 15 free throws in the final minutes of the quarter to seal the win, 77-65!
It was an important win for Europe as it secures them five qualifications spots for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.
Head Coach Haj Bhania:
“I thought the guys played really well today. We were all flat before the game with the after effects of yesterday’s loss, and with mind’s still on that I feared that they wouldn’t be up for the game but the boys came out and played and restored a bit of pride. Early on we really did play well and we scored pretty easily, we know offensive is very good and we can score. We know that we have a set of players on the floor that can see us through, and those guys who finished off the game today for us, nearly won the game yesterday. But Iran came back and credit to them, they played really well. Defensively we just need to be a bit smarter and we’ve got work to do on that."
He continued:
"We are pleased to have won and got that extra spot for Europe as it’s important to get the extra place, as the challenge to qualify next year at the European’s doesn’t become easy but easier. There is obvious deflation in the team as we won all our pool games, lose 1 game and come seventh and we are in the same scenario as four years ago. We know we have work to do and we will improve and we will get better and be a threat for the future. The hurt from here will drive us on."
Top scorer, Terry Bywater, said:
“It was a true GB performance what a way to bounce back, the win really showed what we were made of. We have to take the positives away with us, at both the last two World’s our record shows fifteen wins and two losses. We have played eight games and lost one by just two points, there has been hundreds of shots taken and it came down to just one. The rest of the World were relieved we didn’t get through as we are Gold medal material.”
Top Scorers:
Great Britain
1. Terry Bywater (25), 2. Ian Sagar (20), 3. Gaz Choudhry and Abdi Jama (12)
Iran
1. Gholamazad (18): 2. Ahmadi (16) 3. Abdedi (9)
GB Men’s Wheelchair Basketball Team
Abdi Jama (31, Liverpool) – Captain
Mark Fosbrook (38, Oswestry)
Kyle Marsh (24, Wolverhampton)
Ade Orogbemi (36, Liverpool)
Harry Brown (19, Halifax)
Phil Pratt (20, Cardiff)
Ian Sagar (32, Barnsley)
Gaz Choudhry (28, Ealing, London)
Simon Munn (46, Peacehaven, East Sussex)
Terry Bywater (31, Redcar, Middlesborough)
Dan Highcock (32, St Helens)
Lee Manning (24, Peterborough)
Great Britain’s fixtures and results:
- Saturday 5th July, 1am BST: GBR 60 v 51 ARG
- Sunday 6th July, 4.15am BST: GBR 77 v 47 KOR
- Monday 7th July, 8.45am BST: GBR 74 v 54 MEX
- Tuesday 8th July, 4.15am BST: GBR 64 v 59 IRAN
- Wednesday 9th July, 6.30am BST: JPN 47 v 65 GBR
- Thursday 10th July, 4.15am BST: GBR 60 v 44 ESP
- Saturday 12th July, 3.15am BST: Quarter Final: GBR 69 v 71 TUR
- Sunday 13th July, 3.15am BST: 7th/8th Place: GBR 77 v 65 IRN
(Photos SA Images)
