The Iran men's national basketball team has started off its campaign at the 2017 Fédération Internationale de Basket-ball (FIBA) Asia Cup in Lebanon with an emphatic win over the Indian side.
On Wednesday, the Iranian team began the first quarter of the Group A match played at Nouhad Nawfal Stadium in Zouk Mosbeh town, located 12 kilometers north of the Lebanese capital city of Beirut, in a strong fashion, and employed a string of attacks and blocks to outscore the Indian squad 29-8.
The Iranians kept up momentum in the second quarter, and took it by 21 points to 14 as they faced little resistance from the Indian side.
The Iranian did not look back as the match went into the third quarter, and recorded an amazing 12-point advantage and clinched the quarter 29-17.
The Persians continued to shot baskets in the final frame, and closed the quarter at 22-15.
Hamed Hadadi led Iran with 20 points and 8 assists, whilst India’s Amjyot Singh Gill scored 10 points.
The 2017 FIBA Asia Cup, which is the 29th edition of the continental basketball championship in Asia, started in Lebanon on August 8 and will conclude on August 20.
Iran has been drawn in Group A along with India, Jordan and Syria.
Group B consists of China, Iraq, the Philippines and Qatar. Lebanon is pitted against Kazakhstan, New Zealand and South Korea in Group C.
Australia, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong and Japan are in Group D.
The tournament will determine the composition of the joint FIBA Asia and FIBA Oceania qualifiers for the 2019 FIBA World Cup.
The Iran men's national basketball team will face Syria in its second preliminary round fixture on Friday.