Scouting Report: Jordan

Moniker: Al Nashama (The Brave)

Qualification: Placed third in the 2013 WABA Tournament, beating Iraq, but losing to Lebanon and Iran.

Last FIBA Asia Appearance: 2011 – 5 wins & 4 losses – Beat Syria, Indonesia, UAE, and Iran, but lost to Japan and China (twice). They played the Philippines twice, too, losing the first match and winning the semifinal rematch to advance to the Finals. Despite their record, Al Nashama finished in second place.

Roster:

Name, Age, Height, Position

Mohammed Shaher Hussain, 23, 6’9″, Center

Al Jamal Zaghab, 25, 6’9″, Center/Forward

Jimmy Baxter, 33, 6’4″, Forward

Wesam Al Sous, 30, 6’3″, Guard

Mahmoud Abdeen, 26, 6’4″, Guard

Fadel Al Najjar, 28, 6’4″, Guard

Ahmad Al Dwairi, 20, 6’11″, Center

Hani Al Faraj, 26, 6’5″, Forward

Ahmed Al Hamarsheh, 27, 6’5″, Forward

Abdallah Abu Quora, 29, 6’9″, Forward/Center

Khaldon Abu Ruqayah, 30, 6’8″, Forward

Mohammad Hadrab, 29, 6’8″, Forward

Key Players:

1. Jimmy Baxter – Replacing Rasheim Wright as Jordan’s naturalized reinforcement is swingman Jimmy Baxter. It’s a little tough to asses how effective he will be, since I believe coach Vangelis Aleksandris probably didn’t show Baxter off too much in the 2013 Jones Cup. He averaged just 13.6ppg and 4.3rpg while shooting 39% from the floor. I doubt that’s the best he can give. Expect Baxter to be much more aggressive here in Manila.

2. Wesam Al Sous – Without Sam Daghlas, Rasheim Wright, and Enver Soobzokov, the onus will be on Wesam to really carry the perimeter game for Jordan. He will be the leader of this team both on and off the court and should also be Al Nashama’s #1 threat from long distance. Though he hasn’t really played much PG in the past, he might be forced to split time at the 1 with Mahmoud Abdeen this time around.

3. Mohammed Shaher Hussain – The young big man showed marked improvement in last year’s Jones Cup, but it seemed like he regressed in the same tournament this year. Again, I feel like coach Aleksandris’s is still keeping his cards close to his chest, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Shaher actually breaks out in this tourney. He has all the tools to do so – good footwork, great finisher around the basket, and a soft touch from midrange.

Point of Interest:

No more heroes? – With many of its heroes missing the 2013 bus, it seems like prospects look bleak for this WABA squad. Aside from Daghlas, Wright, and Soobzokov, other key players like Zaid Abbas, Islam Abbas, Zaid Al-Khas, and Ayman Idais aren’t on this roster. These were the guys who led Jordan to an unprecedented third place finish in 2009 and to the silver medal in 2011. Without their leadership and example, how will young guys like AJ Zaghab, Shaher Hussain, and Ahmad Al Dwairi cope with the immense pressure?

Tournament Outlook: I have a feeling coach Aleksandris has something up his sleeve and that he will only reveal his true hand when all the chips are on the line. Despite many of its mainstays skipping Manila, I think Jordan still poses a legitimate threat not just to Gilas but to the other would-be contenders, too.

I expect them to have a tough time against the other strong teams in Groups A & B, and, when push comes to shove, I actually project Jordan being the odd man out. We should never completely count out them out, though, since they eliminated Iran and almost pulled the rug from under China in Wuhan two years ago. – Rappler.com