7th group: The Spain of Hernangomet and the… three Continents

THE 7th group of its 19th edition Basketball World Cup are among those that do not lend themselves to particular analysis as to the final ranking that the four participating countries will receive.

Seen, h Spain is the absolute favorite of the group, with the world and European champions even dreaming of a medal. However, there is a clear favorite for the second place as well, and that is the Brazil. The Seleção has the quality and talent to overcome its admittedly low obstacles Iran and her Ivory Coastand to be in the second phase of the groups.

Iran: With the country’s legend, Hamed Haddadi

For the fourth time in its history and indeed consecutively, the Iran will give the “present” in the final phase of the World Cup of basketball. The best position it took was 19th in 2010 in the fields of Turkey, a performance which, however, will be very difficult to “break” this year due to the situations that have been formed based on the group, but also the dynamics of the team. It is indicative that he got the qualification basically thanks to the victory without a fight against the Australians, thus bypassing Kazakhstan. With a new coach for just three months, the Turk, Hakan Demir, is seen as the… poor relative of the group.

Star: Undoubtedly the standout player from Iran’s roster is the all-rounder, Hamed Haddadi. Time may have passed, with Iran’s captain now in his 38th year, however the 2.18m tall. center is the best quality his country has to offer. The Iranian basketball legend has experience in the NBA, where he played for five years with the Grizzlies and Suns.

Advantages: There is not much that one can recommend as advantages of the Iran team. But if we wanted to find one, it would be the height they have as a team, both in the guard and forward/center positions.

Disadvantages: Certainly the level of competition of the team and the dynamics which… it does not have, make Iran the first favorite for the last place in the group.

Forecast: It will be very difficult to avoid the 4th place of the 7th group, while in the matches against Spain and Brazil it is expected to become… a punching bag.

Iran’s roster:



Hamen Haddadi (19/05/1985 – 2.18m – C) Xinjiang Blue Wales

Arsalan Kazemi (22/04/1990 – 2.01m. – PF) Cemindor Kom

Behnam Yaktsali (12/07/1995 – 1.91m – G) No team

Meisam Mirzaei (15/04/1992 – 2.08m. – C) Kaleh

Sazad Masayeki (23/02/1994 – 1.80m – G) Zob Ahan Isfahan

Mohamed Amini (26/04/2005 – 2.00m – G/F) Monaco

Jalal Aghamiri (29/01/2001 – 2.02m – C) Kaleh

Mateen Agkhajanpour (14/03/2001 – 2.03m – PF) Kaleh

Hasan Aliakbari (07/07/1996 – 2.10m. – C) Parsa

Sajad Pazrofteh (21/12/1996 – 2.00m. – G) Shahrdari Gorgan

Salar Monji (10/04/1997 – 2.04m – C) Sahrdari Gorgan

Mohammad Sina Vahedi (08/01/2001 – 1.91m – G) Mahram Tehran

Naveed Rezaifar (23/08/1996 – 1.93m – G) Palages Nad Abadan

Peter Girgourian (27/02/2002 – 1.99m – G/F) Mahram Tehran

Coach: Hakan Demir

Ivory Coast: With significant absences for the… miracle

THE Ivory Coast it’s not just… football, Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure! In the West African country, they also play basketball and are even considered one of the traditional powers of the Black Continent. The Elephants, who are participating in the World Cup for the fifth time in their history, comfortably qualified for the big basketball festival, finishing above Angola, Cape Verde and Nigeria in the qualifying phase. In fact, they are also coming off the silver medal at the 2021 African Championship.

Star: With Alex Poithres and Matt Costello out of action, the one expected to shine for Ivory Coast is Nisre Zouzoua. The 27-year-old guard from France’s AMSB is a capable scorer with a reliable three-pointer and can lead his team’s scoring.

Advantages: With the… air of the African runner-up, but also without stress due to the difficulty of the group, she is expected to entertain the impressions and give her own “color” to the event.

Disadvantages: Clearly, the absence of its two top athletes. The void left by Alex Poithres of Armani Milano and Matt Costello of Baskonia cannot be filled from within.

Forecast: Ivory Coast will fight Iran for third place in the group. On… paper at least, it looks like it has a slight lead for that goal.

The Ivory Coast roster:



Suleiman Diabate (21/07/1987 – 1.83m – G) Petro de Luanda

Asemian Moularet (11/01/2003 – 1.83m. – G) Clermont

Bazoumana Kone (13/12/1993 – 1.93m – G) Karlsruhe Lions

Nisre Zuzua (16/07/1996 – 1.88m – G) AMSB

Traore Aboubakar 04/10/2001 – 1.96m. – G) Long Beach State

Maxens Dadier (02/03/1999 – 1.92m – G) Toulouse

Seidugu Mike Fofana (05/10/1997 – 2.06m – F/C) Abidjan

Charles Abouot (04/11/1989 – 1.96m – F) Le Portel

Jean-Philippe Daguy (08/03/1996 – 1.99m – F) Salon Reims

Cedric Ba (11/05/1994 – 2.00m. – C) Clermont

Vafesa Fofana (12/06/1992 – 2.01m – F) Gravelin

Amadou Sidibe (25/03/1994 – 2.03m – F) Peñarol del Plata

Patrick Tape (08/01/1998 – 2.08m – F/C) Gladiators

Coach: Dejan Prokic

Brazil: “Last Dance” by Marcelinho Huertas

THE Brazil, along with the United States of America, are the only countries to have attended all World Cups and are going… full speed for 19/19! Of course, this impressive streak that has lasted since 1950 almost came to an end in the qualifiers, where the “seleção” had to get a big victory over the USA in the final, leaving Argentina out of the Mundobasket in a draw. In a group where there are Iran and Ivory Coast, only by … self-handicap could they miss the qualification, as in addition to quality, they also have a lot of experience compared to their opponents.

Star: The roster has a good quartet of players with NBA experience. The reason for the 40-year-old Huertas, Felicio, Campoclo and Raul Neto. The former may be the “soul” of the team, but due to his age, the latter is expected to take the reins of Brazil. After eight years on the other side of the Atlantic with over 450 matches, this year he returned to Europe on behalf of Fenerbahce.

Advantages: But of course its big advantage will be the experience it has, both as a whole and as units. The fact that Gustavo de Conti has been at the helm of the team for 2.5 years, even being an assistant in the national team during the four years 2012-16, gives it an extra homogeneity and communication between the floor and the bench.

Disadvantages: The star is missing… The player who could lead the effort and overcome the difficulties is missing.

Forecast: We expect it to pass comfortably as second behind Spain, from the first group stage. From there, things will get quite difficult, as as a team it has a certain… ceiling.

Brazil’s roster:

Marcelinho Huertas (25/05/1983 – 1.91m. – G) Tenerife

Yago Mateus dos Santos (09/03/1999 – 1.78m. – G) Red Star

Raul Neto (19/05/1992 – 1.88m. – G) Fenerbahce

Jorge de Paula (24/05/1996 – 1.98m – G) Ceci

Guillermo Santos (22/06/2002 – 2.01m – F) Santa Cruz Warriors

Bruno Campoclo (21/09/1995 – 2.06m – F) Venice

Vitor Benite (20/02/1990 – 1.94m – G) Gran Canaria

Cristiano Felicio (07/07/1992 – 2.11m – PF/C) Granada

Leonardo Meidl (20/03/1993 – 2.01m – F) Alvark Tokyo

Didi Lusanda (02/07/1999 – 1.96m – G/F) Cleveland Charge

Gabriel Zau (11/09/1998 – 2.02m – F) Flamengo

Lucas Diaz (07/06/1995 – 2.08m – F) Ceci

Tim Soares (04/02/1997 – 2.11m – C) Nagoya Diamond Dolphins

Marcio Santos (02/11/2002 – 2.06m – F/C) Ceci

Felipe dos Anios (30/04/1998 – 2.21m. – C) Estudiades

Coach: Gustavo Antonio de Conti

Spain: Without Lorenzo and Rubio, but with… the air of a champion

What can one say about the… basketball player Spain. The roster may be constantly changing over the years, new faces coming and going, but the “fury rocha” is always there, at the top. She comes to the courts of Asia with the title of World Champion, but also with the gold from the recent Eurobasket. This year, she goes down without the naturist, Lorenzo Brown, who led her to conquer the European, while she is still trying to get over the “shock” of Ricky Rubio’s withdrawal for mental health reasons. There is talent and a lot of it. It is in her DNA to star and with the “mastermind” Sergio Scariolo at her helm for the eighth year in a row, it is a given that… look up!

Star: A “chameleon” team, in every match it can produce a different protagonist. From the old series of Rudy and Yule, to Aldama, Abrines and the Hernangometh brothers. But the title of the star of the team will be taken by Willy Hernangomet of Barcelona, ​​who was the MVP of EuroBasket 2022.

Advantages: Spain have one of the most complete front lines of the tournament. With Willy Hernangometh in the “5”, but also the new forward of Panathinaikos, Juancho, on his side and the NBAer, Aldama and Garouba completing the positions of the tall ones, the “roja” has tremendous dynamics in this part. In fact, Huacho and Aldama have the long shot, thus helping to open up the game.

Disadvantages: The absence of Lorenzo Brown, as well as the withdrawal of Ricky Rubio, greatly weakens Spain’s guard positions.

Forecast: We expect him to have a… healthy walk in the first group stage. It will then – in all likelihood – fall to France and Canada in the Round of 16. There, it will be seen whether he can continue for the round of eight and the knockouts.

Spain’s roster:

Alberto Albade (15/12/1995 – 2.02m – F) Real Madrid

Alex Abrines (01/08/1993 – 1.98m – G/F) Barcelona

Sandy Aldama (10/01/2001 – 2.13m – PF/C) Memphis Grizzlies

Dario Brithuela (08/11/1994 – 1.88m – G) Barcelona

Victor Claver (30/08/1988 – 2.07m – F) Valencia

Alberto Diath (23/04/1994 – 1.91m. – G) Unicaja Malaga

Jaime Fernandez (04/06/1993 – 1.86m – G) Tenerife

Rudy Fernandez (04/04/1985 – 1.96m – G/F) Real Madrid

Usman Garuba (09/03/2002 – 2.03m – F/C) Oklahoma City Thunder

Juancho Hernangomet (28/09/1995 – 2.06m. – PF) Panathinaikos

Willy Hernangomet (27/05/1994 – 2.11m – C) Barcelona

Sergio Yul (15/11/1987 – 1.91m – G) Real Madrid

Joel Parra (04/04/2000 – 2.01m – F) Barcelona

Jaime Pradilla (03/01/2001 – 2.05m – F/C) Valencia

Sembas Saith (15/07/1994 – 2.06m. – C) Alvark Tokyo

Coach: Sergio Scariolo