ULAANBAATAR (Mongolia) - Jack Shiratani and Zen Hawkins starred as Japan trounced Iran, 86-67, to book the first ticket to the FIBA U16 Asia Cup 2025 Quarter-Finals, Tuesday at the MBank Arena.
Shiratani dropped 24 points and 16 rebounds with 3 blocks, while Hawkins notched 20 points and 12 rebounds as the two took turns in leading a big second-half surge toward sweeping Group D with a 3-0 card.
Hawkins himself scored 12 of his points in the third canto, just four points shy of matching their entire foes' output in the said chapter to help stretch a precarious lead to 60-52 entering the game's final 10 minutes.
Shiratani then came through in the fourth, scoring eight to lead their breakaway to completely leave their West Asian counterparts behind on the way to securing one of the four direct flights to the last eight.
The Quarter-Finals are set on September 5 also at the MBank Arena - the venue of the entire Final Phase - where Japan will face the winner between the no. 2 team of Group B and Group A's third-ranked side.
Keiji Koshi made 14 points while Shunsuke Miyazato had 12 points and 7 assists for the Japanese, who are headed to the Quarter-Finals for the eighth time in as many editions of the biennial continental tournament.
Alireza Rashidi had 22 points to lead Iran, who finished second in the group with a 2-1 record. Safa Behnia had 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists while Yasin Morovat Halabi added 14 and 7 rebounds in the loss.
Team Melli will have to go through the Qualification to Quarter-Finals on September 4 against the team finishing third in Group C, which consists of New Zealand (2-0), Chinese Taipei, Philippines, and Indonesia.
Clinching third Group D, meanwhile, are Kazakhstan after a tight 53-49 win over Saudi Arabia.
Amen Tiembay was the only player in double figures for the victors with 23 points and 13 rebounds as he delivered the most important shot of the match early in the fourth quarter that swung the momentum in their favor.
Game was tied but he sank a trey for the 45-42 lead, and they'd stay ahead the rest of the way as Chingiz Bissengaliyev, Raiymbek Seilkhan, and Vitaliy Shmik all helped out to keep the opposition at bay.
The Saudis had a chance to send the game to another deadlock but attempts to make it a 52-all count failed to hit its target, and a Tiembay split with three seconds left were all enough for the CABA side to escape.
Kazakhstan finished the Group Phase at 1-2 and will next face Group D's no. 2 team in the Qualification to Quarter-Finals.
Adam Baltaji finished with 11 points while Ayman Alshinkite added a double-double 10 points and 17 rebounds for Saudi Arabia, who will go back home empty-handed after losing all three of their assignments.
FIBA