Naturalized cagers ahead in stats; Hadadi stands out

TWO naturalized players—Jarvis Hayes of Qatar and Jimmy Baxter of Jordan—are running 1-3 in average points production after the first round of preliminary action in the 27th Fiba-Asia Championship.

CJ Giles, Gilas Pilipinas’ first choice as a naturalized player two years ago, is leading the rebounding department as a Bahraini with Marcus Douthit leading everyone in blocks after the first skirmishes in the tournament serving as a World Championship qualifier.

Hayes tossed in a total of 45 points in two games for a 22.5 average, with Baxter hitting 44 in two games for 22.

Hamed Hadadi, the NBA veteran who is the pillar of rampaging Iran’s inside strength, is running second in scoring and is seventh in rebounding.

The 7-foot-2 Hadadi tosses in 22 points a night and plucks down an average of 9.3 rebounds for Iran, which ripped through its first three assignments in the tough Group C to establish itself as the overwhelming title favorite.

Hadadi has scored 66 points in three games.

Tiny LA Tenorio occupies 10th spot in the assists department with an average of 3.3 after three games, with Gabe Norwood and Japeth Aguilar in the bottom half of the Top 10 in blocked shots.

Douthit collars 10 boards a night and averages 2.3 blocks a game.

Because offense seems to be pretty spread out for the Philippines, no Filipino landed in the Top 10 in scoring.