2013 FIBA Asia Championship: Iran routs India in one-sided affair

(Updated 2:50pm) Iran kept their perfect record after their first game in Group F with a 102-58 drubbing of India, Monday at the MOA Arena, in the second round of the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship.

The Iranians were in cruise control for most of the game, but they still managed to win by 44 points against a hapless Indian squad.

Heavy-hitters Hamed Haddadi and Samad Nikkah Bahrami helped Iran with a combined 27 points, although most of their points came in the first half of the game. Among the 12 Iranian players fielded in the game, only Oshin Sahakian failed to score as he didn’t take a single shot attempt in almost 14 minutes of game time.

“I asked for my team to play a serious game. I didn’t want them to underestimate any opponent. I want them to be focused, it doesn’t matter who we play,” said Mehmed Becirovic. “We needed to improve the things we didn’t do well in the first three games. I’m very satisfied with the effort of my players.”

Hamed Afagh top-scored for Iran as he played the most, scoring 16 in 22 minutes. Ashgar Kardoust added 12 points, due to heavy minutes with Haddadi sitting on the bench for most of the second half.

Haddadi opened the game wanting to establish his dominance. He went straight at his defender to score an easy basket. After two free throws from India, he then found himself at the top of the key, and knocked in a rare three-point shot for a 5-2 count in their favor.

The 7'2" center was still not finished, scoring again on their next possession, followed by a triple from Hamed Afagh for an early 10-5 lead for Iran.

After a Haddadi three point play, Amjyot Singh sank a triple, but Mahdi Makrany took it right back with his own trey for a 16-8 lead in Iran’s favor.

The Indians pulled to with six points off a Narender Grewal fast break basket but Samad Nikkah Bahrami made his first triple of the game for a 19-10 score with 4:21 left in the first quarter.

Thanks to Hadadi 12 first quarter points, Iran led 25-12 after the first 10 minutes of action.

Javad Davari connected from long range to start the second quarter for Iran. Nikkah Bahrami then scored back to back baskets followed by a Mahdi Kamrany fast break lay-up to build a 34-16 lead with 6:04 remaining in the second quarter.

Arjun Singh was called for an unsportsmanlike foul on Kamrany after the former pulled the latter's shorts on the break. Kamrany sank one of the free throws and Hamed Sohrabnejad added a put-back on the ensuing possession to give Iran a 39-19 lead.

A triple by Afagh at the tail-end of the second then gave Iran a 51-22 at the half.

Iran’s two big guns, Nikkah Bahrami and Haddadi combined for 24 of Iran’s 51 first half points. Hamed Sohrabnejad was the surprise third wheel with nine points.

Iran continued their display of dominance in the third quarter. However at the 6:14 mark of the third, Kamrany was accidentally kneed on his head by Yadwinder Singh. The Iranian point guard stayed on the floor for a couple of minutes while his head was iced by trainers.

With Kamrany down, Aren Davoudichegani stepped up for Iran. He nailed a triple at the 1:50 mark of the third to stretch their lead to 37 points at 73-36, before taking a 78-39 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.

With the game in the bag, Iran took its foot off the gas pedal early in the fourth. But even if they were not playing near maximum capacity, they were still able to pad their lead.

A free throw from Kardoust at the 8:37 mark of the fourth gave Iran an even 40-point lead at 82-42. The big man added a three-point play at the 3:54 mark to extend Iran’s lead to 44 points at 91-47, before the two sides played out the remaining time. - AMD, GMA News

 
The scores:

Iran  102 - Afagh 16,  Nikkah Bahrami 15, Sohrabnejad 14, Kardoust 12, Hadadi 12, Jashmidijafarabadi 7, Davoudichegani 7, Davari 8, Kamrany 8, Veisi 2, Arghavan 1, Sahakian 0

India 58 -  Bhriguvashni 15, Grewal 10, Amjyot Sinjgh 10, Pratham Singh 5, Amritpal Singh 5, Yadwinder 4, Pethani 4, Joginder Singh 3, Kaushik 2, Bharama 0, Kadam 0, Arjun Singh 0

Quarter scoring: 25-12, 51-22, 78-39, 102-58