TURIN (2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments) - Francisco Cruz scored 12 of his team-high 18 points for Mexico in the fourth quarter and, after a go-ahead three-pointer from Paul Stoll, the Mexicans forced Iran into a backcourt violation to help lift the team from the Americas to a 75-70 win that secured a place in the Semi-Finals of the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Turin.

Iran lost and crashed out of the competition despite a superb comeback, sparked by Behram Yakhchali and his game-high 20 points. Arsalan Kazemi also fought through pain and after going down with a knee injury to provide plenty of inspiration but Mexico made the big plays late to win. Jorge Gutierrez was excellent for much of the game for Mexico on both sides of the court and finished with 15 points and 3 steals.

Turning Point: With 1:06 left to play, Mexico grabbed three offensive rebounds and Stoll hit a three-pointer that put his team up 66-64 lead. Iran then failed to get the ball across midcourt and Cruz turned that into a drive to the basket.

Stats Don't Lie: Iran's play was once again plagued by sloppiness with Dirk Bauermann's side turning the ball over 12 times. Those mistakes led to 13 Mexican points. Iran also struggled at the line, making just 8 of 14 first-half free-throws.

Game Hero: Pako Cruz scored 12 of his team-high 18 points in the fourth quarter for Mexico, while Behram Yakhchali was brilliant with a game-high 20 points after drilling 6 of 9 shots from the arc.

The Bottom Line: Iran showed a lot of promise at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament but missed free-throws and a backcourt violation at a crucial moment killed their chances against Mexico. The team coached by Sergio Valdeolmillos, meanwhile, fought through adversity and clinched a spot in the Last Four. They will face Greece for first place in the group on Wednesday.

FIBA