These top Asian defenders will make you shake in your boots!
MANILA (Enzo Flojo's Asia on my Mind) - Defense isn't something that a lot of people appreciate, but the fact of the matter is, defense is extremely important in bagging those elusive championships.
In the coming FIBA Asia Cup 2017, defense will certainly be among the top-of-mind considerations for head coaches all over the continent. With that said, let's look at some guys who can make a big impact on the defensive end - these are the guys who will disrupt their opponents' offensive flow and potentially take them of their games.
Joji Takeuchi (Japan)
One underrated aspect of defense is getting rebounds. It is not enough to stop the other team from shooting. Defense is never over until the team actually gets the rebound and gets ready to set up their own offense. This is where a guy like Joji Takeuchi excels. In the FIBA Asia Championship 2015, the 2.06m center was second overall in total rebounds and fist overall in defensive boards. It's no wonder he is Japan's top choice at the center spot.
Lee JongHyun (Korea)
How good is JongHyun when it comes to defense? Ask Korea's opponents from the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019, where this guy averaged a tournament-best 2.6 blocks per ballgame. Since then, the 2.06m slotman has been a mainstay for Korea, patrolling the paint and protecting the basket with impunity. He runs after nearly every shot tossed up by Korea's foes and sends them routinely sends them back.
Jean Abdelnour (Lebanon)
You gotta love Abdelnour's ability to guide a wide range of positions at the Asian level. He can defend the opposing team's best wingman or their best playmaker. At 2.01m, he can also guard up until the 4 spot and still be effective. You jaw won't drop with the numbers he produces, but that should not deter you from appreciating how good of a defender he is.
Liu Cheng (Chinese Taipei)
The former SBL MVP is a defensive greyhound when it comes to harassing opposing wingmen. He regularly gets 2 steals per game in the CBA and is unforgiving in terms of staying in front of his man. In the EABA Championship 2017, the 1.92m guard/forward averaged exactly 2 swipes per contest, proof of just how good he is on that side of the ball. Do not be shocked if he does just as well at the Asia Cup this coming August.
Gabe Norwood (Philippines)
Welcome back!! ❤💛💙 @GNorwood5 #PUSO pic.twitter.com/5aXTU4RsRC
— ella 🎈 (@ellapenetrante) July 8, 2017
Gabe doesn't wow the basketball experts when it comes to stats, but coaches love him because he does the simple things that don't show up on the box scores. I'm talking about deflecting passes, impeding his defensive assignment's progress and plainly just limiting the offensive production of whomever he is tasked to guard. In the FIBA Asia Championship 2015, Gabe put up 1.6 steals per game, but, more importantly, he effectively shadowed and limited opposing wingmen in nearly every game.
Sajjad Mashayekhi (Iran)
When most Asian hoop nuts think of top Iranian guards, Mahdi Kamrani is the name that usually pops up, but his heir apparent, Mashayekhi, has slowly made a name for himself, especially on the defensive side. At only 1.80m, he is not the most imposing fellow on Team Melli's roster, but look at his numbers to be impressed. In the FIBA Asia Challenge 2016, he stole the ball twice per game, while in this year's WABA Championship, he had upwards of 3 swipes per contest. If you are a point guard about to face this spunky kid, you better be mindful of where his hands are lest he take the ball away like candy from a baby.
Enzo Flojo
FIBA
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