Trust coach Tab Baldwin to pull rabbits out of his coaching hat. The American-New Zealander’s stint with the New Zealand Tall Blacks in the early part of this century – when he took them to their first win in the 2001 FIBA Oceania Championship and subsequently to the semifinals of the 2002 FIBA World Championship – needs no elaboration. Exactly ten years later, the 53-year-old almost pulled off a coup steering the Jordanian Al Nashama to an improbable victory over the might of the hosts China in the gold medal game of the 26th FIBA Asia Championship. Here’s a collection of Baldwin’s thoughts after Jordan played their first ever FIBA Asia Championship gold medal game.

“I had a dream couple of days ago that my team would play the final. Didn’t really know that the dream would come true this soon,” said Jordan coach Tab Baldwin as he opened his thoughts after taking the WABA team to its first ever gold medal game in a FIBA Asia Championship.

Syria might have exited the medal race and confined to play the 9-12 placings but one player standing tall – literally – has caught the imagination of the discerning, and in fact made them look at the future basketball in the WABA nation with confident optimism.

Two years ago, on the eve of the quarterfinals, WABA team Jordan was talk of the town going into their play-off against Philippines. The team with inspired performances not only won that game, but went on to win the nation’s maiden medal in the FIBA Asia Championship. Come 2011, Jordan start as the underdogs against red hot favorites and twice defending champions Iran in the quarterfinals.

Bob Donewald Jr! There cannot be a more discussed name than this in the Chinese basketball – nay Chinese sport – these days. Donewald spoke to this website on a variety of issues including Team China’s determination to regain the title.