IRI / PHI - Iran prove too strong for Philippines
TIANJIN (FIBA Asia Championship) - Hamed EHadadi, Mahdi Kamrani and Samad Nikkah combined with customary cohesion and defending champions hit cruise mode to beat Philippines 88-78 in Group E eight-final round on Tuesday. The result took Iran up to 4-0 and Philippines to 2-2. All the three Iranian mainstays were on their job right from the word ...
TIANJIN (FIBA Asia Championship) - Mainstays Hamed EHadadi, Mahdi Kamrani and Samad Nikkah combined with customary cohesion and defending champions hit cruise mode to beat Philippines 88-78 in Group E eight-final round on Tuesday.
The result took Iran up to 4-0 and Philippines to 2-2.
All the three Iranian mainstays were on their job right from the word go.
Samad returned a game-high 25 points, with nine of the coming in the first quarter.
EHadadi had six in the first quarter, but added 11 more in the second, as Iran led by comfortable margins at the end of each period.
EHadadi finished with 21 points, and collected six rebounds.
Kamrani’s 14 for the game comprised the 11 in the first half.
“Our rhythm is definitely falling in place and getting better,” said Iran coach Veselin Matic.
“We lost momentum a little bit in the second half, especially in defence. But it’s ok. We’ll get better,” Matic added.
A 12-0 run in the first five minutes of the game gave Iran the opportunity to take control.
A 16-0 spree spread across the first quarter break furthered their cause and Iran left Philippines no chance to recover.
Kamrani sank two of his four three-pointers (off seven attempts), Samad and EHadadi chipped in with five points each during this run.
Oshim Sahakian who played a more defensive role in the first half – collecting four of his seven rebounds – joined the scoring party in the second and added eight to his first half’s three.
Not that Philippines were blown away, just that Iran provided them with no chance.
Willie Miller Jr. collected a game-high nine rebounds to go with his 14 points.
James Yap also had 14 and Gabriel Norwood chipped in with 13 points.
“I think the free-throws held the key,” said Philippines coach Joseller Guiao.
Philippines had merely four opportunities from the foul-line – converting two of them. Iran had 30 free throw chances and converted 23.
S Mageshwaran
FIBA Asia
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