For gold and glory: Jordan's first dance

In the early eighties, The Jordanian Basketball National Team emerged as a force to contend with. Nicknamed "Al Nashama", those brave gentlemen rose to fame and endured their baptism of fire winning the gold medal in the Pan Arab Games held in Morocco in 1985. This is their story as told by their eclectic American head coach Robert Taylor. 

Cairo… A slow dance on the River Nile

The friendly game against Egypt is nothing but a charade. The young coach of Jordan was secretly exploring new tactical options against the biggest, tallest and most experienced Arab squad. The Pharaohs clinch a quick 20-5 lead and Taylor calls for a time out. He instructs his players to try a 2-2-1 full court press, and the deficit drops down to two points: time out Egypt!

The shrewd coach smiles and relaxes his defence. Egypt won the game but Taylor was looking for something else: "I learned how to beat Egypt".

Baghdad… Wrath under the sun

"There is no friendly matches in Baghdad" recounts a bemused Taylor as he remembers the Iraqi invitation for a match up. "The Iraqis were an excellent team; they decimated my favourite zone defence". The Jordanian players were furious at their coach but he was experimenting: "Our 1-3-1 defense failed miserably, but I was preparing my secret weapon". 

Iraq edged Al Nashama by a whopping 17 points margin but neither team knew at that moment that this encounter will have great repercussions in days to come. Taylor left the old city knowing that he lost two big matches but learned a big deal about how to win!

Rabat… The dream begins

Taylor was eyeing the coveted Pan Arab Championship in Rabat and his strategy took a big blow from the get-go: "Our captain and point guard Samir Nassar was suffering from a knee injury and this forced me to make very painful decisions". Nassar was at the core of the National Team and Taylor had a lot of respect for the veteran playmaker: "He captained the Hand Ball National Team at the same time and his influence was immeasurable. He was a real leader and a unique athlete; and a lot of my achievements in Jordan are linked to him one way or another".

But another player with the same first name has matured as the new brain of the team. Samir Morqos, Al-Ahli's brilliant point guard was going to assume that responsibility as the team flew to Morocco without much ado. When Al Nashama's plane touched the ground Taylor scrambled to arrange one last preparation match against the host nation but with one condition: it has to be behind closed doors.

"As we walked into the arena I just realized what has happened" recounts Taylor. The Frenchman Moroccan coach approached him and was very apologetic: "It is a game for the national team and everybody wants to watch, what can I do?" 

The hosts started strong and the atmosphere was explosive. "Their star player scored nine straight points but we remained composed. Slowly we dug into the game and tied the score by half time. In the second period we demolished them and I was extremely proud of my men". The tournament hasn't started yet but for the Moroccan fans, Robert Taylor became Enemy Number One!

"Deep inside I knew we had a real team that can go all the way. We played with earnest and heart and we were very good". The tournament started and Taylor's squad routed the United Arab Emirates and Qatar and awaited their first real threat: arch rivals Syria.

Syria… my beloved

"The Syrian team was the best squad in the tournament. Big, seasoned and extremely talented, they were almost perfect" remembers the head coach. "Their Achilles heel was their predictability. They always employed the classic Soviet 1-2-2 formation in offence and defense; very strong but very traditional. I watched them for three years and they never changed. My goal was to force them to change!"

Jack Bashayani was the superstar of the Syrian team, but Taylor had plans for the experienced shooting guard. "We pressed their point guard and especially Bashayani all over the court. Sameer Morqos and Imad Al Saeed dogged their playmaker like greyhounds while Yousef Zaghloul, Marwan Matouq and Yanal Qanash took turns guarding Bashayani".

The Syrians could not breath in offense, while on the other side of the court the three tall men of Jordan, Murad and Hilal Barakat and Jamal Al- Buheiri wreaked havoc. The team Taylor feared most lost to Al Nashama 66-75 and there was a new finalist in Rabat: Team Jordan.

A final on a hot tin roof

Taylor remembers the championship match: "I was really focused on us staying calm and was preparing to surprise Iraq with my press defense. I was not in a hurry and planned to watch how things go and then modify as needed". But the Iraqis would have nothing of that! The Lions of Mesopotamia were a dreaded team with enormous sizes. "They were never going to let us win, not after that big scrimmage in Baghdad. Their only weakness was their confidence!"

Taylor knew his wings were shorter but faster, so he instructed his players to up the tempo of the game. "You could not let them dictate their slow rhythm. They played with a 1-4 formation and had an excellent inside and outside game. Their point guard was their only dribbler and they were tailor-made to be pressed! We pressed and Murad Barakat our prolific scorer gave them hell on the other side of the court".

But despite everything Iraq dominated the first half. The Jordanians were nervous while their opponents remained focused and relaxed, and the ghosts of Baghdad loomed. Iraq was up by seven when Taylor called for a time out with two minutes to go in the first half.

"I did not want to go to the break down by ten and I contemplated my options, but before long we were down by eleven and the Iraqis moved to the locker rooms all smiling. In their heads we were finished and they were celebrating! Deep inside and for some reason I knew we could make it happen. The arena was very hot and I had to let them sweat".

For gold and glory

Jordan's big guy Jamal Al- Buheiri was sick and nursing a fever. Team Doctor Samir Sarah gave him some medicine and cleared him to play and after a mediocre first half he felt his energy coming back. Jordan scored first and pressed while Iraq suffered a turn over and Jordan scored again. Furious, the Iraqi coach called for a time out one minute into play.

What unfolded next was a real test of endurance and will. Iraq was still in front but the dynamic of the game changed. Taylor called for a break with seven minutes to go. Iraq was still up by thirteen and both teams were exhausted.

Seasoned wing Yanal Qanash was resting on the bench when Taylor called him for action. Qanash was an old friend of the team's injured captain Samir Nassar and he was the reason Nassar started playing basketball. As his old friend watched the game on TV from Amman, Qanash had a date with destiny.

"The Iraqis switched to zone defense and Yanal just made them pay very dearly. He drilled in three consecutive three-pointers and followed with an unbelievable jump shot". The game was on fire when the TV broadcast in Jordan went dead! Jordan took the lead for the first time with one minute three seconds left.

"The last minute was all love and tears", Taylor recounts." We jumped higher than the Iraqis and we fought for every ball". Jamal Al- Buheiri scored in the last few seconds then intercepted a long throw and was fouled. At the free throw line it must have been liquid ice running in his veins. He scored twice and Jordan beat Iraq at the Pan Arab Championship final 80-78!  

The basketball golden medal was the only achievement of the entire Jordanian delegation in Rabat, but it was priceless. For the first time in history, the country won a gold medal in a team sport. This was Jordan's first dance.

"I love this team… we wrote history together. When we exited the arena a Jordanian teacher living in Rabat approached me and put the Jordanian flag on my shoulders. At that moment I felt I was Jordanian, and this feeling never left me at all."