CHANGSHA-HUNAN (2015 FIBA Asia Championship) - Iran opened their quest for a fourth title by routing Japan, 86-48, in the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship.

Japan held the initiative early, leading by 3 at the middle of the first quarter, but Iran eventually gained their bearings and banked on the outstanding play of Oshin Sahakian to take the lead for good.

Sahakian led the way for Team Melli with 15 points, while Mohammad Hassanzadeh added 13 points off the bench. Iran outclassed their East Asian opponents in practically every category on their way to their first win. Iran can continue their winning ways against India tomorrow, while Japan, who were paced by Joji Takeuchi’s 10 points and 11 rebounds, hope to recover and bounce back against Malaysia.

Turning Point: It was a tight contest at the start of the second period with Japan trailing by just 4 points, 15-11, but Iran, with big hits from Sahakian and shooting guard Hamed Afagh, went on a 16-9 run to erect the game’s first double-digit spread, 31-20 with about five minutes to go before the halftime break. Japan tried to stay close with Iran, but Team Hayabusa just couldn’t keep up the rest of the way.

Stats Don't Lie: Iran was sublime from everywhere here. Coach Dirk Bauermann’s wards were dominant on both ends of the floor. They outshot Japan (44% to 34% in field goal pecentage), outrebounded them (43 to 25), and forced 19 Nippon turnovers. It was sheer dominance for the defending champions and should serve as a statement game for the rest of the field.

Game Hero: Sahakian was named a member of the All-Star Five in 2013, and he lived up to his billing anew. The 200cm/6ft 7in power forward tallied 15 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal to lead Iran’s charge. He also hit 2 three-pointers, giving further credence to the versatility of the talents under Team Melli’s fold.

The Bottom Line: Probably wary because of the shocking upset handed to the Philippines in the game prior, Iran didn’t want to waste this chance to show everyone which team was the clear favorite in their group. Sahakian, Hassanzdeh, and behemoth Hamed Haddadi all had their turns exposing Japan’s weakness inside, and that’s something coach Kenji Hasegawa definitely needs to address.

FIBA