FIBA Asia - And then there were four

MANILA (FIBA Asia Championship/FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Chinese Taipei, Iran, Korea and the Philippines will square off for places at next year's FIBA Basketball World Cup in Saturday's Semi-Finals of the FIBA Asia Championship.

With three places available at Spain 2014, the winners of the two Semi-Finals will have their tickets punched, while the losers will have one last chance in Sunday's Third-Place Game.

So far in the tournament no team has come close to 2007 and 2009 champions Iran, who dispatched Jordan in convincing fashion in the Quarter-Finals.

Behind veterans Hamed Hadadi (20 points, 8 rebounds) and Mahdi Kamrany (11 points, 11 assists) the Iranians took a 20-point quarter-time lead and ran out 94-50 winners.

"I was personally afraid of this game, but my players were very concentrated," Iran coach Memi Becirovic said, clearly remembering Jordan's upset win in 2011.

"That was two years ago, we had finished with that," guard Aren Davoudichegani said of the players' perspective.

"We just continued our goal which is each game, we just think about it game-by-game."

They will now meet tournament surprise packet Chinese Taipei, who stunned China with a 35-point turnaround from late in the second term.

Emerging from half-time 10 points in arrears, Taipei unleashed a 25-8 run in seven minutes and then cruised to an incredible 96-78 triumph.

"In the first quarter the game got out of hand with all our turnovers," said guard Hung Chih-Shan.

"In the second half we did all the little details well."

Lin Chih-Chieh was at his mercurial best with 17 points and seven assists, while big man Quincy Davis III (26 points, 10 rebounds) was inspirational in his battle with the bigger Chinese frontline. Yi Jianlian led China with 22 points and 10 boards.

The Philippines gave Kazakhstan no opportunity to cause an upset, jumping to a 17-point quarter-time advantaged they never relinquished, on their way to an 88-58 win.

Though the Kazaks showed great character to close within eight points late in the second term, with Gary David (22 points, 4/6 three-pointers) and Jason 'Castro' William (13 points, 4 assists) in fine form, the Philippines were never genuinely challenged.

"In the end I think the crowd really helped this team along and allowed us to play with a lot of energy," said coach Chot Reyes.

"Instead of the pressure we try to inject a sense of appreciation (in the players)."

The hosts will face Korea in the Semi-Finals after their start-to-finish 79-52 triumph over Qatar, once again sparked by the brilliant shooting of Cho Sungmin (16 points, 6/9 field goals).

The Koreans were simply too efficient for their rivals, whose challenge was all but extinguished when star Jarvis Hayes tweaked his ankle early in the third quarter.

This time tomorrow two teams will be preparing for the FIBA Asia Championship Title Game safe in the knowledge that they will take on the planet's best teams in Spain next year.

For full and in-depth coverage of the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship, go to the official website http://manila2013.fibaasia.net.

FIBA