TIANJIN (FIBA Asia Championship) - A blistering 14-0 run helping them to overcome a shaky start, defending champions Iran raced away to an 82-66 win against Korea in a Group E game to bring the curtain down on the eight-final round on Wednesday.

The win – Iran’s first over Korea in four FIBA Asia Championship meetings – perched the West Asian powerhouse on top of Group E pitting them against 2005 FIBA Asia Championship bronze medalists Qatar in the quarterfinal on Friday.

Last edition’s bronze medallists Korea, who suffered their first defeat, will take on last edition’s silver medalists Lebanon.

Korea did run the floor hard in the opening quarter.

Yang Donggeun, Kim Joo Sung and Yang Heejong sank a three-pointer each as Korea led 19-18 at the end of the first quarter.

They carried the edge into the second quarter too, but Iran made their move in the last three minutes of the first half.

Hamed Afagh scored five – including a three-pointer to lead Iran to a 14-0 run which saw the last time Iran trailed.

Afagh fired nine points in all out of his game-high 24 points and Hamed EHadadi scored six of his 21 in the second quarter as Iran took a comfortable 44-31 lead going to the change rooms.

EHadadi also collected a game-high 16 points.

Korea were surely brow beaten by that spree and never recovered.

Yang Donggeun led Korea’s scoring with 13 points, but five of them coming in the first quarter.

Kim Joo Sung had 12 and Yang Heejong had 11, but drew a blank in the fourth quarter.

S Mageshwaran
FIBA Asia

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