TEHRAN (FIBA Asia Challenge 2016) – Iran’s machinery kicked into high gear in the second half as they blew out India, 77-47, in the Quarter-Finals of FIBA Asia Challenge 2016 in Tehran, Iran.

Veteran Hamed Haddadi asserted himself and outplayed Amritpal Singh to tow the hosts to the Semi-Finals. India actually stuck to Iran for one whole half, but Team Melli turned up the pressure in the third period to break the game wide open. Oshin Sahakian and Behnam Yakhchali contributed 16 and 15 points respectively in Iran’s victory.

Turning Point: India were trailing, 38-31, at halftime, but they were still within striking distance. Iran, however, limited their foes to just 2 points in the third period, and this pretty much sealed India’s fate. Coach Sat Prakash’s side couldn’t recover as Iran cruised to the win.

Stats Don't Lie: Both teams shot poorly from the field, but India were exceptionally bad. The SABA champions hit only 17 of their 73 field goals for a paltry 23.3% success rate. Their “big four” of Vishesh Bhriguvanshi, Amritpal Singh, Amjyot Singh and Talwinderjit Singh combined to shoot just 12-of-56 from the floor.

Game Hero: In a battle of two top level Asian centers, Hamed Haddadi stood tall. The former NBA player dominated in the middle with 17 points and a monstrous 23 rebounds. He also laced his stat-line with 4 assists and 3 blocked shots.

The Bottom Line: Iran continue to roll in this competition and should remain a favorite to win. Even when India seemed to threaten midway through the match, coach Dirk Bauermann’s squad made the appropriate adjustments to ensure their safe passage to the next round, where they will face WABA rival Jordan. It was a sorry sight to see promising India sent off so easily, but they still have a chance to finish among the top five if they win their next two assignments.

FIBA