AHMEDABAD (India) - China became the third team to qualify for the FIBA U18 Asia Cup 2026 Quarter-Finals following a dominant 96-58 blowout of Iran on Tuesday at the Veer Savarkar Indoor Stadium.
What initially felt like a playoff battle turned sideways when the 11-time champions pulled away late in the opening period for a 29-17 lead, and that was all they needed to cruise toward clinching the no. 1 spot in Group C.
They finished the Group Phase with a 3-0 record to sweep their way into the Quarter-Finals, wherein their fellow undefeated teams Australia and New Zealand have been waiting since yesterday after topping their pools.
Seeking a 'back-to-back' feat, the Emus were the first to book a direct flight to the said phase by way of a 110-58 rout of Chinese Taipei, before the Junior Tall Blacks followed suit after dismantling Lebanon, 113-62.
Li Junxian led China with 17 points and 7 rebounds plus 6 blocks. Zhao Boxin backed him up with a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds, while Chang Zhunzhi supplied 11 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists.
Yang Yixuan similarly posted 11 points and 6 rebounds, with Lyu Feiyan chipping in 10 points for a team that simply had their way - they shot 53.6-percent from the field, hauled down 51 rebounds, and dished out 34 assists.
Nobody scored in double figures for Team Melli, who settled for second in the group with a 2-1 slate after absorbing their first loss of the tournament but will still advance to the Qualification to Quarter-Finals.
Also bound for the play-in to the Quarter-Finals are Qatar, as they secured third place in the pool following a masterful 90-43 ouster of Sri Lanka in a virtual knockout between two erstwhile winless sides.
Both teams came into the bout with 0-2 records but the competitors from the Gulf Region simply proved no match for their SABA counterparts, with main man Abdulla Mousa serving as the biggest difference in the clash.
The rising star finished with a tournament-high 37 points, nearly matching their foes total output. And he did it efficiently as well after shooting 54.5-percent from the floor, all while adding 7 rebounds to his tally.
Azam Yakan was his lone backup but even the point guard almost made history himself, as he registered 11 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists. He also chalked up 4 of the team's 14 steals in the decisive victory.
Sri Lanka were led by Sudam Liyanage with 10 in the loss, as they bowed out with a 0-3 record.
FIBA