Christian Standhardinger had the country on his back but the rest of Team Pilipinas provided little support as the national basketball team fell to Iran, 73-81, in the Fiba World Cup Asian Qualifiers on Thursday night in Tehran.
Playing as a naturalized player for the men’s team, the 6-foot-8 San Miguel slotman singlehandedly carried Team Pilipinas with his 30 points and 12 rebounds.
The national team failed to capitalize on the absence of the 7-foot-2 Persian center Hamed Ehdadi Haddadi who was reportedly nursing a groin injury and played just 56 seconds or the final minute of the match.
With the loss relegating the squad to a 4-3 won-loss record, the Filipinos need to win against Qatar in a home game on Monday.
Sitting precariously in third place, Team Pilipinas must secure a spot inside the top 3 to ensure a ticket to the World Cup next year in China. Kazakhstan, with a 3-3 win-loss record, is its nearest rival for the slot.
Iran jumps to first place with its sixth victory in seven games. Australia, which holds a 5-1 slate, plays lowly Qatar (2-4) in Doha in the other game schedule.
Pacing the Iranians was Nikka Bahrami, who scattered 21 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Cat-quick guard Sajid Mashayekhi followed suit with his 19 markers, four boards, four dimes and three steals.
The Filipino fought hard and brought the game as close as possible against the taller, visibly quicker Iranian side.
The game was tight until the Iranians pulled away in the last few minutes of the fourth frame. The Filipinos momentarily even got slim advantages in the first half.
Bahrami converted three charities with 56 seconds left to make it 81-69, the largest lead of the game.
Team Pilipinas had its chances with Iran committing multiple turnovers in the closing minutes, but national team returnee Marcio Lassiter couldn’t drill his triples after three open looks from beyond the arc.
Lassiter’s cold shooting summarized the team’s woeful 5-of-28 shooting from the three-point area.
No other man in national team uniform scored in double figures, with Alex Cabagnot the closest one with his nine points that went with five assists.