FIBA Asia Cup:
Iran routs Syria to secure direct last-eight berth
Iran hammered Syria 82-43 to complete a clean sweep of Group B victories at the FIBA Asian Cup and secure a direct berth in Wednesday’s quarterfinals in Jeddah.
It was a neck-and-neck battle in the first half at the King Abdullah Sports City, with only two points separating the two teams, before Iran pulled away in the third quarter and never looked back to maintain its perfect run in the competition.
Matin Aqajanpour was the star of the show for Iran with a game-high 24 points, chipping in six three-pointers – including a decisive four in the third quarter.
Sina Vahedi also made a significant contribution, producing 19 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals.
“Every game is tough,” Aqajanpour said post-game. “Syria is a very good team. In the first half we could not play well, but in the second half we heard our coaches, and we did do our job.”
Syria’s defense disrupted Iranians’ rhythm from the opening tip, holding them to just 13 points in a scrappy first quarter. Vahedi and Aqajanpour provided Iran’s only perimeter spark, but the scoreboard read just 13-11 after 10 minutes.
The struggle continued in the second frame as Syria’s energy and hustle kept the three-time champions at bay. Mohamad Bilal Atli’s putback gave Syria the lead briefly, and Keron Deshields, who finished with 16 points, kept applying pressure. A late triple from Arsalan Kazemi nudged Iran ahead 25-23 at the break, with star wingman Mohammad Amini yet to score.
However, the game turned on its head after halftime as Iran’s defense clamped down, forcing a series of turnovers that led to transition opportunities. Aqajanpour drilled a triple to extend the lead, then struck again moments later after Kazemi’s work on the boards. The gap hit double-digits midway through the quarter, and Syria’s offence began to unravel.
Aqajanpour’s shooting display reached its peak with back-to-back threes in the final minutes of the third, part of a 32-11 blitz that turned a tense two-point game into a commanding 57-34 advantage heading into the fourth.
From there, Iran was in cruise control. Vahedi continued orchestrating the offence, Amini found his way onto the scoresheet, and the defense allowed just nine points in the final period.
Chasing a first Asian trophy since 2013, Iran left fans with another reminder of why it is among the region’s elite, capable of weathering adversity, flipping a game in minutes, and riding multiple offensive weapons to decisive wins. With Vahedi in control and Aqajanpour firing from deep, Team Melli now turns its attention to the quarterfinals with momentum firmly on its side.
Having beaten Guam (77-52) and Japan (78-70) earlier in the group phase, Greek head coach Sotirios Manolopoulos’s men will face the winner of the Chinese Taipei-Jordan playoff in the last eight, with two-time defending champion Australia, which will play the Philippines or the host next, likely awaiting in the semifinals.