Haddadi, Iran extend mastery over Gilas in Jones Cup

MANILA, Philippines -- Iran showed Gilas Pilipinas the gap they still need to close three weeks before the 2015 FIBA Asia Men's Championship starts. 

The reigning FIBA Asia champion always had an answer to every Gilas rally to extend its mastery over the Filipinos with a 74-65 win on Thursday in the 37th William Jones Cup. 

Hamed Haddadi was just too big and dominant for a Gilas side that has been missing naturalized player Andray Blatche and an injured June Mar Fajardo. The 7-foot-2 former NBA player had 22 points and 15 rebounds to pace the Iranians, who claimed their fifth win in six games and are now poised to win the tournament. 

But Gilas did not go down without a fight.  

A Jc Intal three-pointer with 3:41 to go pulled Gilas within four, 61-65.  Iran, however, responded with a 9-0 run that put the game beyond reach. 

The 42-year old Asi Taulava tried to turn back the clock as he challenged Haddadi with 12 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks. It was not enough though to lift the national team, which only drew eight points from Terrence Romeo, who suffered a left ankle sprain, and six from Calvin Abueva, who saw limited time due to foul trouble. 

Intal and Jayson Castro kept Gilas in the game with 10 points apiece while Moala Tautuaa had seven, mostly on perimeter jumpers against Haddadi. 

Iran, which has won all their matchups against Gilas since a 75-77 loss in the 2012 Jones Cup, also missed the services of the injured Samad Nikkah Bahrami, who is expected to return before the FIBA Asia joust in China later this month. 

Gilas dropped to 3-2 win-loss mark and will eye to bounce back against the Wellington Saints of New Zealand on Friday at 1 p.m..