QAT - Saleem: We have to have an outstanding perf
Qatar must play perfect basketball this week if they are going to
survive one of the toughest groups ever drawn for an international
basketball competition.
Standing alongside Greece, Lithuania, Brazil, Australia and Turkey, Qatar look like minnows.
First up is a game on Saturday against the Greeks, a team flying high
after last year's EuroBasket gold medal triumph in Belgrade.
Then come FIBA Americas champions Brazil, followed by Lithuania - EuroBasket 2003 gold medalists.
In an exclusive interview with PA Sport's Jeff Taylor on behalf of
FIBA, the 2.05m power forward/center Saleem weighs up his team's
chances in Japan.
FIBA: Mohammed, it's been a great achievement to qualify for
the FIBA World Championship. It will be an even greater one to win one
or two games. Would you agree?
Saleem: "It's the first time for us in a World Championship, it's a big
opportunity. We are playing the top teams in the world and I hope we
can play well. If we come focused and ready to play, we can compete in
this championship."
FIBA: Is your team better now than at the start of the summer?
Saleem: "Oh yes. This has been a great summer. We've played some teams
who are supposed to be much tougher than us and played well, like
Turkey. We played New Zealand, who came fourth at the World
Championship four years ago. We took Turkey to overtime. We played
Slovenia, Angola. We just played some tough teams and we could compete.
That was a good thing for us. It gave us more confidence and we
realized we can compete and have a chance."
FIBA: Your coach, Joey Stiebing, was talking about competing
from the first minute to the last - something Qatar did not do in the
build-up to Japan.
Saleem: "At this level, you have to be completely focused. All of the
games we have lost before, we look at the tapes and see that it was
just mental mistakes in the fourth quarter. And I think it's a matter
of experience and getting used to this level. Because at this level,
everyone is playing at the top and you have to be focused. You have to
play offensively, defensively, you have to make shots, cut down on
turnovers. You have to be perfect. And for a team like us, we have to
have an outstanding performance or else we're going home."
FIBA: Did you ever dream that you would play at a FIBA World Championship?
Saleem: "I couldn't believe that I could play at this level until two
or three years ago, when coach Stiebing came from the US. Our manager
is also doing a good job. We have got some players. Before that, it was
a dream. I never thought of it until three years back."
FIBA: What about the draw? It's a tough one.
Saleem: "These are the top teams in the world. I'm not worried about
it. I believe we are good. In basketball, it's performance. It's not
names. If you don't come ready to perform, any team can beat any team
out here. If you don't come ready to play, or your not focused."
FIBA: What is your dream situation, to play Team USA in the final?
Saleem: "(Laughs) I have to be logical. If we can win some games, it's
a very, very big achievement for us and a big step for our next goal,
which is to reach the Olympics. If we come here and win some games, it
would be perfect for us. Only one team from Asia makes it to the
Olympics. As China host the next one, we'll get two. Maybe if we play
well at this tournament and future ones, FIBA will give more
opportunities for Asian teams."
FIA: What about Greece, your first opponents?
Saleem: "They are European champions, they are a tough, big-time
basketball team. But we already know that. We're going to do our best,
scout these guys, try to contain these guys and take their keys away.
But in the back of my mind, we have to be more focused, play a more
complete game because these guys are good. We have to rebound, defend,
everything. It starts from the warm-ups, even before the warm-ups. It
has to be complete, from A to Z."
Jeff Taylor
FIBA
Last Modified on 23/08/2006 12:30
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