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http://www.insidebayarea.com/sports/ci_7383499 AfghanÃstan men's basketball team visits Bay Area
STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS Article Last Updated: 11/06/2007 02:34:40 AM PST OAKLAND — After three games in Southern California, the Afghanistan national men's basketball team has arrived in the Bay Area for a game against Holy Names University tonight. Holy Names is a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) school located in Oakland. The exhibition game is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Tobin Gym. The Afghan team will also play exhibitions at Humboldt State on Thursday and in Hayward on Sunday at 6 p.m. against Cal State East Bay before completing its eight-game tour in Southern California. The team began the tour with a 65-50 loss to Westmont College in Santa Barbara on Thursday. That game marked the first time the national team — formed in the 1960s after the sport was introduced by Americans — had played on U.S. soil or against a U.S. college team, according to the Westmont College Web site. The 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and subsequent rule by the Taliban brought an end to the national team until 2006, the Web site added. The current team is coached by Mamo Rafiq, who was born in the Afghanistan capital of Kabul in 1981. His family moved to Yuba City, where he became a star player and earned a scholarship to Idaho State, eventually becoming a women's assistant coach there. On the roster, the players are all Afghan-Americans who live in the United States, including 6-foot guard Safi Mojaddidi from Washington High in Fremont. A few have Division II or III college experience. Rafiq told the Marysville Appeal Democrat that players in Afghanistan — while the Afghan government is more willing to fund such a team — would not be able to compete on an international level. On Saturday, the Afghans lost 71-55 to Cal Lutheran in Thousand Oaks. It was a far cry from the team's return to international competition last November, when it upset Hong Kong 65-57 in the opener of the 15th Asian Games. NBAA NEWS DESK @ COPYRIGHT 2007
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Stunning Afghani victory over Hong Kong in opening round of the Asian Games |
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Proud Afghans make emotional return |
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Afghanistan loses its bid to qualify after 84-69 loss to Syria |
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Afghan National Basketball Team international Debut in Chantilly, Virginia |
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Nov. 24, 2006 |
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Nov. 25, 2006 |
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Nov. 26, 2006 |
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Sept 1st 2006 |
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Wihin the preliminary rounds for qualifications to the Asian Games Basketball Tournament, being held at the Basketball Indoor Hall at Sport City in Doha, an Afghani selection coached by Zabi Subat and made up of players of Afghani origin from the United States with captain Yousof Etemadi has won a signficant game 65-57 against Hong Kong.
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The smiles on the faces of Afghanistan's basketball players said it all as they paraded their national flag during a lap of honour following a victorious return to international competition.
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The euphoria of the Afghani victory against Hong Kong (China) with a significant 8-point win 65-57 didn't last for 24 hours, as the Afghanistani team, made up entirely of Afghani expatriate players from the United States playing in ethnic Afghani-American basketball leagues could not stand against the formidable strength of a Syrian national basketball team. Read More |
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The Afghan National Team made its international debut in Chantilly, Virginia at Hoops Magic Basketball Academy. The ANT was introduced to the crowd of 1500 Afghan American spectators on hand. The Afghan National Team was formed by Naser Shahalemi after much discussions and negotiations with the ANABF and the ANOC/Olympic Committee in July 2006. Read More |
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