Iran: Mahram prevails over Zob Ahan again, three-peats
Mahram underlined their superiority in Iranian basketball over the weekend by capping an unbeaten season with a 2-0 sweep of Zob Ahan in the Super League Finals.
(Discuss Iran basketball and basketball in the Middle East)
The leading club in Iran basketball captured the title for the third year running.
In a rematch of last year’s Finals, Mahram dominated Zob Ahan in Game 1 on the road, winning 96-73 in Isfahan.
In Game 2 on Saturday and back at home, Mahram prevailed 93-73.
Mahram will not have long to celebrate.
Both they and Zob Ahan will represent Iran in the Champions Cup of West Asian Basketball Association (WABA) starting on Monday in Tehran, along with the representatives from other countries of the sub-zone.
This will serve as the qualification tournament for the FIBA ASIA Champions Cup, which is to be organized in Doha, Qatar in May.
Saturday’s Game 2 began with an incredible first quarter for Mahram. They stormed into a 37-20 lead with more than 2,000 spectators attending the game at the Tehran Azadi venue.
In the second quarter, when 2.23m center Jaber Rouzbahani entered the court for Zob Ahan, Mahram went nearly five minutes without a point.
Zob Ahan took advantage, outscoring them 18-10 in the frame to go to half-time trailing 47-38.
Jaber got hurt soon after the restart but Mahram weren’t able to put Zob Ahan away.
In fourth quarter, Mahram lowered the boom by outscoring their opponents 28-16 to clinch a 20-point triumph.
The trio of Iran national team stars Mohammad Samad Nikhah Bahrami, Hamed Afagh and Mehdi Kamrani, helped by their three imports – Lebanon center Jackson Vroman, Loren Woods and Jordan national team guard Rasheim Wright – as well as the rest of coach Mostafa Hashemi made the night an historic one for Mahram.
They were inconsistent with their play, but it was good enough to celebrate another title.
The three top teams, Mahram, Zob Ahan and Petrochimi received their trophies, medals and golden coin prizes from the vice president of the country and the Iran Basketball Federation president in the closing ceremony.
Final Classification of 2009-10 I.R. Iran Super League
1- Mahram
2- Zob Ahan
3- Petrochimi
4- Saba Mehr
5- Azad University
6- Towzin Electric
7- A.S. Bond
8- Shahrdari Gorgan
9- H.B. Shahr-e Kurd
Read the original article at FIBA.com.












