Iran, with its solid defense and imposing presence underneath, ended Team Philippines’ brilliant Fiba-Asia Cup run with a methodical 77-60 victory yesterday at the Ota Gymnasium here.
The Iranians tore the Filipinos apart in the second half, breaking free from what had been a close game to make the championship match opposite host team Japan, which scored a 73-66 decision of Qatar in the other Final Four match.
“It was a tough game. The (final) score did not reflect how tough the match was,” Nikka Bahrami, Iran’s gifted swingman, told Arab News shortly after the win.
Bahrami later on got his wish of having Japan as a championship foe, describing the Japanese to be “a little softer than Qatar, which plays very physical.” The Philippines couldn’t score when it needed to and saw the Iranians scoot away at the start of the fourth period.
Generally, it was a bad game for the Filipinos, who committed a total of 23 turnovers.
“We played a bad game,” Philippine team coach Chot Reyes told reporters. “I take full responsibility for the loss. Bottom line: We lost because we couldn’t put the ball into the hoop.
“Had we played a little better, shot the ball better, we could have had a chance.” Veteran Eslamieh Afagh paced the Iranians with 14 points, with Jamshidi, a standout of their youth program, shooting 13 like bull-strong, 7-foot-2 center Asghar Kardhoust.
Kardhoust threw his weight around the paint and took Marcus Douthit out of his sweet spot.
Marcus Douthit picked up his fourth foul at the height of that Iranian run with still eight minutes left. The naturalized Filipino center never returned after being recalled to the bench because the Iranians broke the game wide open from there.
LA Tenorio and Jared Dillinger led the Filipinos with 13 points, and Douthit finished with 11 points and seven rebounds.
Iran ends Team Philippines dream run in Asia Cup
