News / Sports

Iran wheelchair b-ballers beat Netherlands

Wednesday, 29 June 2016 1:35 PM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 29 June 2016 1:36 PM ]

The Iranian men's national wheelchair basketball team

The Iranian men's national wheelchair basketball team has achieved its sole victory at the Garanti Wheelchair Basketball Cup in Turkey following a convincing victory over the Dutch team.

In a match held in Istanbul on Wednesday morning, the Iranian physically-challenged athletes beat the Netherlands 54-44.

Iran is scheduled to take on Turkey in its last showdown later in the day.

Earlier in the tournament, the Iranian outfit suffered four straight losses against the hosts and the Netherlands.

On Tuesday evening, the Iranians fell to a 58-67 defeat to Turks in their fourth game. They had previously conceded a 57-68 loss to the hosts in their opening match on Sunday.

Iran's first loss to the Netherlands came on Sunday with a score of 42-53. It was followed by a 57-68 defeat the next day.

The national Iranian squad comprises Iman Baakzadeh, Adel Tarafi, Vahid Gholamazad, Morteza Ebrahimi, Saman Belaghi, Hassan Abdi, Mohammad Sehi, Omid Hadiazhar, Mohammad Mohammadnejad, Hakim Mansouri, Mohammad Hassan Sayari, Morteza Abedi as well as Mohsen Tolouei, who are under the tutelage of head coach Abbas Aghakouchaki.

The Garanti Wheelchair Basketball Cup started on June 26 and will wrap up on June 29.

The tournament serves as the last preparatory sports event for the Iranian team prior to wheelchair basketball matches at the 2016 Summer Paralympics, which will be held from September 8 through September 17 at the Olympic Training Center and the Rio Olympic Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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