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FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers:
Iran maintains perfect start with second win over Iraq
Young shooting guard Piter Girgoorian contributed a game-high 21 points – including 12 from behind the arc – for Iran, which rested Asia Cup 2025 All-Star Five point guard Sina Vahedi for the game.
Behnam Yakhchali (14 points), Mobin Sheikhi (12), and Matin Aqajanpour (11) also scored in double figures, while another emerging talent, Seyyed Mahdi Jafari, impressed with nine points and nine assists.
Ramon Galloway led Iraq with 19 points, followed by Ihab Al-Zuhairi with 18.
Having enjoyed a record shooting spree (19 three-pointers) in Thursday’s 94-68 win, Iran may have anticipated another lopsided encounter. Iraq, however, had other ideas, showing tremendous fighting spirit in the first half.
Late in the opening quarter, Iraq nosed ahead 19-18 thanks to an Abdullah Alibraheemi breakaway dunk, suggesting a tight contest was in store. But seconds later, during another transition play, Alibraheemi suffered an injury and did not return.
Iraq continued battling through Galloway and Al-Zuhairi, even leading briefly midway through the second quarter. But Iran gradually began to pull away, taking a 61-50 lead into the final frame.
Later in the day, Jordan routed Syria 100-48 at home to leapfrog Iran at the top of the group table.
Iran will host Jordan when the Asian qualifiers resume in February.
Elsewhere on Sunday, Saudi Arabia defeated India 81–57 in Group D to move to 2-0 in the opening window of the qualifiers.
Qatar, meanwhile, pulled off a massive upset with an 86-83 away victory over West Asian powerhouse Lebanon to sit second behind Saudi Arabia in the group.
The top three teams from each of the four groups will advance to the second round of the qualifiers. The twelve qualified teams will be split into two groups and will face the three teams advancing from the corresponding group twice – Group A will be paired with Group C, and Group B with Group D.
The top three teams from each second-round group, along with the best fourth-placed team, will qualify for the 2027 World Cup in Qatar.