JEDDAH (Saudi Arabia) – Iran completed a clean sweep of Group B at the FIBA Asia Cup 2025, shaking off a slow first half to overwhelm Syria 82-43 on Sunday at King Abdullah Sports City and advance directly to the Quarter-Finals.
The three-time Asia Cup champions improved to 3-0, setting up a last-eight meeting with the winner of the Chinese Taipei vs. Jordan clash in the Qualification to Quarter-Finals. Syria, who finished 0-3, bow out of the tournament after another battling but ultimately frustrating night.
Sina Vahedi was once again the steady hand for Iran, producing 19 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals. But it was Matin Aghajanpour who delivered the knockout blows, erupting for a game-high 24 points on six triples, including a flurry in the third quarter that broke the contest open.
"Every game is tough," Aghajanpour said post-game. "Syria is a very good team. In the first half we could not play well, but in the second half we heard our coaches, and we did do our job."
It did not look like a runaway early. Syria’s defense disrupted Iran’s rhythm from the opening tip, holding them to just 13 points in a scrappy first quarter. Vahedi and Aghajanpour provided Iran’s only perimeter spark, but the scoreboard read just 13-11 after ten minutes.
The struggle continued in the second frame as Syria’s energy and hustle kept the favourites in check. Mohamad Bilal Atli’s putback gave Syria the lead briefly, and Keron Deshields, who finished with 16 points, kept applying pressure. A late triple from Arsalan Kazemi nudged Iran ahead 25-23 at the break, with star wingman Mohammad Amini yet to score.
Everything changed after halftime. Iran’s defence clamped down, forcing a series of turnovers that led to transition opportunities. Aghajanpour drilled a triple to extend the lead, then struck again moments later after Kazemi’s work on the boards. The gap hit double-digits midway through the quarter, and Syria’s offence began to unravel.
Aghajanpour’s shooting display reached its peak with back-to-back threes in the final minutes of the third, part of a 32-11 blitz that turned a tense two-point game into a commanding 57-34 advantage heading into the fourth.
From there, Iran were in cruise control. Vahedi continued orchestrating the offence, Amini found his way onto the scoresheet, and the defence allowed just 9 points in the final period.
For Syria, the loss marked the end of their Asia Cup run, though their first-half performance showed the grit and organisation that troubled Iran for long stretches. Deshields’ scoring and defensive activity kept them competitive until the floodgates opened.
Iran, meanwhile, left fans with another reminder of why they are among the region’s elite, capable of weathering adversity, flipping a game in minutes, and riding multiple offensive weapons to decisive wins. With Vahedi in control and Aghajanpour firing from deep, they now turn their attention to the Final Phase with momentum firmly on their side.
"I think we have a game with the winner of Chinese Taipei and Jordan," Aghajanpour noted. "Both of them are tough teams, but we will just go for the win."
FIBA