U18 Asia Games: Friday 29 July
TEHRAN (2016 FIBA Asia U18 Championship) - Here are the four games scheduled for the Quarter-Finals of the 2016 FIBA Asia U18 Championship.
Check out all of the games live on FIBA's YouTube channel.
Follow the action live on the FIBA Asia U18 live feed.
Korea v Philippines
These old rivals will collide in the first Quarter-Final of the day, and Korea are favored to survive and move on to the Semi-Finals. Yang Jaemin and Shin Minsuk are sure to lead Korea, with Han Seunghui and Kim Jinyoung certain to provide support. The Philippines have the talent and size to threaten Korea, but they have been a tad too inconsistent. That along may be their undoing.
Chinese Taipei v Japan
It will be a battle of East Asian powers in the day’s second match. The Taipei quintet, save for the loss to China, have played at a very high level. Kao Kuo-Hao and Tseng Hsiang-Chun have been their spear-heads, and they will face a Japanese five led by forwards Yudai Nishida and Tensho Sugimoto. There is no clear favorite in this match-up, but it will certainly be an entertaining exhibition of speed and shooting.
Lebanon v India
Lebanon’s loss to Iran shouldn’t be taken as a harbinger of things to come. The Cedars remain a title contender, and their rested stars should be very tough to handle for an Indian squad that was blown out by the Philippines at the close of group play. Ali Mansour and Mark Alkhoury are expected to stamp their class here and formalize Lebanon’s entry into the Semi-Finals.
China v Iran
These two Asian giants will face off earlier than expected, but it promises to be no less exciting. China look to have the advantage in size and shooting, but Iran have some weapons the Chinese cannot overlook like Mohammad Jafari and Amirhosein Khandanpoor. If Fan Ziming, Taruike Jianiyou and Wu Yujia continue to play in dominant fashion, though, China shouldn’t have much trouble notching their sixth win in as many games.
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