NIKKAH BAHRAMI Samad vs AMJYOT Singh and BHRIGUVANSHI Vishesh PBA IMAGES/NUKI SABIO
MANILA, Philippines – Hamed Hadadi set the tone and Samad Nikkhah Bahrami followed suit.
Iran, with its two stars pressing the attack early, made quick work of India 102-58 in the second phase of the 27th FIBA Asia men’s Championship Monday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The seven-foot-two Hadadi asserted his might from the get-go as he scored his team’s first seven points and 10 of its 13 points as Iran established a 13-point lead 25-12 at the end of the first quarter.
Bahrami, who scored 15 points, took it from there.
The versatile Bahrami, who can play guard and forward, led a second-quarter surge by the undefeated Iranians.
After scoring on a lefty lay in, the six-foot-six Bahrami sank a mid-range jumper before completing a three-point play to widen Iran’s gap to 23, 42-19, with 3:30 remaining in the second period as India, one of the three teams advanced in Group D along with Kazakhstan and Bahrain, never recovered.
Despite leading by 29, 51-22, at the half, Iran, the tournament’s 2007 and 2009 champion, kept pushing as its advantage grew even bigger – reaching the 40-point plateau – with its starters including Hadadi and Bahrami on the bench.
Hadadi, the former Memphis Grizzlies backup center, finished with 12 points and four blocks. Hamed Afagh topscored with 16 points.
Iran, which continued its trend of beating its opponents by double-digits including convincing wins over fellow contenders Korea and China in the preliminary round, led by as much as 46, 93-47, after Javad Davari buried two free throws late in the final frame.
Iran shot a deadly 14-of-26 from the long range while India went just four-of-17 from the three-point area.