BEIRUT (FIBA World Championship/3rd FIBA Asia Stankovic Cup) - With President Michel Suleiman watching on, Lebanon beat Japan 97-59 to lift the 3rd FIBA Asia Stankovic Cup in Beirut.

Rony Fahed scored 23 points as Lebanon won their first ever FIBA Asia crown to continue their preparations for the FIBA World Championship in style.

President Suleiman is known as a keen basketball fan, and arrived in time for the start of the final to cheer on his country.

“All FIBA Asia events are organized under the patronage of the respective governments and sport authorities, and we have had the pleasure of having various top dignitaries with us during our events,” said FIBA Asia Deputy Secretary General Hagop Khajirian.

“But very rarely we have had the honor of the presence of a head of the state in our events. FIBA Asia is grateful and honored by his presence.
“Thank you Mr. President! The privilege was all ours."

The President presented the trophy to an emotional Lebanon captain Fadi El Khatib.

“I don’t have words to express my feelings,” he said. “It is the proudest moment of my basketball career.”

El Khatib had played a big role in Lebanon's win, scoring 21 points on 62% shooting from the field.

Jackson Vroman added 16 points.

“It was a great win,” Fahed said.

El Khatib added: “We haven’t won any FIBA Asia event before as a national team. And we didn’t want to let go of the opportunity in front of our home crowd."

Takumi Ishikazi led Japan with 14 points.

In the semi-finals, Lebanon had barely squeezed past the Philippines 81-80.

Lebanon had started out on fire, taking a quick 18-7 lead, but the Philippines were never going to be that easy to put away and kept battling.
They recovered to take a half-time lead, 37-36, and the teams traded baskets the rest of the way.

Lebanon edged out 75-71 going into the final five minutes, and although the Philippines rallied, Lebanon hung on to advance.
El Khatib led the way with 25 points, while Vroman had 23.

The tough battle was in contrast to Friday's quarter-final, a 101-50 rout of Kazakhstan.

Lebanon had a 38-7 lead by the end of the first quarter, and Kazakhstan's fate was sealed.

Vroman led the way with 24 points, while El Khatib added 16.

The Philippines had beaten Iran 79-67 in the quarter-finals.

Japan had needed overtime to book their own final berth by topping Qatar 78-76 in the semis.

They had to dig deep to rally in the final minutes of regulation, having trailed 48-41 coming in to the fourth quarter.

Takuya Kawamura led the way with 18 points, while Kosuke Takeuchi collected 12 points and 20 rebounds.

Qatar had reached the semi-finals by beating Taiwan 86-78, while Japan had inflicted another defeat on the disappointing Jordan, winning 94-80.

Qatar went on to secured bronze as Daoud Musa scored all 11 of his points in the final 10 minutes to lead a charge past the Philippines for a 79-75 win.

Jordan, who will join Lebanon at the FIBA World Championship in two weeks' time, appear to have much work to do as they suffered four defeats in Beirut.

Japan led from the start behind 31 points from Kawamura.

Mohammad Hadrab had 14 points to lead Jordan.

Jordan did at least recover to beat Taiwan 85-70 behind 24 points from Osama Daghles to advance to the fifth-place play-off, which they won 68-57 over Iran behind 21 points and 10 rebounds from Zaid Abbas.

“It was good to get the shots in,” said Abbas, who made seven of 13 (54%) from the field.

Iran had advanced to the fifth-place play-off with a 74-61 win over Kazakhstan.

Hung Chih-shian had eight of his 17 points in the second quarter as Chinese Taipei topped Kazakhstan 73-67 to take seventh place.

Iraq secured ninth place overall with an 84-82 win over Syria as Machael Shamon scored 20 points.

FIBA

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