Fiba World Cup qualifiers: China battle back to beat Iran 86-74, maintain winning start under new coach Dordevic

China wrapped up their Fiba Basketball World Cup 2023 Asian Qualifiers in Hong Kong with a hard-fought 86-74 win over Iran at Tsuen Wan Sports Centre on Sunday. The win gave head coach Aleksandar Dordevic his second consecutive win, but it was far from smooth for the home side. Knowing a win would guarantee a spot in the finals, Iran, ranked No 2 in Asia, took charge in the first half, with starting point guard Benham Yakhchali contributing 19 of his game-high 28 points by half-time. Matin Aghajanpour, who connected on three shots from long range, added 13 to give Iran a 48-45 lead at the break. China came back out like an entirely different team in the second half, although Dordevic would not say what caused the greater energy and intensity on the court. “When I see mistakes, my job is to correct them and give certain information to players on how not to repeat them in the second half,” he said. “Of course, I do not use always this tone [like I am speaking to the press now], but what was said in the locker room was purely between me and my players. “Sometimes players slowed down in reaction upon receiving information, sometimes players just picked it up and keep playing, we are learning from them who can absorb what kind of information in games like this.” Iran’s energy dropped considerably in the second half and China wasted no time storming back, limiting their opponents to just 10 points in the third quarter. A 9-2 run in the third was followed by another 21-5 scoring spree as the home side eased to a 12-point victory. With Kazakhstan falling 98-53 to the already qualified Australia in Melbourne, Iran sealed a spot in the finals for the fourth time in team history despite the loss. “We played well till the end of the third quarter,” Saeed Armaghani, the head coach, said. “We controlled the game and played aggressively but we were tired in the fourth quarter. “The Chinese team were bigger and stronger and we could not match their aggressiveness. Nevertheless I am glad and proud of my players to qualify for the finals and I hope we can improve to make a good team in the summer.” With qualification for the World Cup already assured, Dordevic made four changes to the 12-man squad list that beat Kazakhstan 71-59 on Thursday. The likes of star guard Guo Ailun and reserve centre Wang Zhelin were dropped, with Zeng Fanbo and Cheng Shuaipeng given a chance. But Zeng, who was making his national team debut, committed three personal fouls in six first-half minutes. “I needed to get used to the referees’ calls, it is different in every league,” he said. “It is my first game after all, playing here is not the same as the CBA so it is more like how can I contribute my strengths to the team.” In all, China committed 20 turnovers, four more than three days ago, and guard Zhao Jiwei said the young team needed to work on its “communication on the court”. After Sunday’s Asian qualifiers, 23 teams have now reached the 32-team World, including five-time champions United States and defending champions Spain, as well as Slovenia, who are led by NBA star Luka Doncic. The World Cup will be held from August 25 to September 10 in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia. Separately, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu hosted a dinner at Government House for the China team. Lee expressed his gratitude to the country for its trust and support in bringing the games to Hong Kong – the first time the city has hosted the national team. He said the matches showcased Hong Kong’s uniqueness in contributing to the country and its ability to host top-tier international sport events. Moreover, Lee added, the matches not only provided residents with an excellent opportunity to enjoy the skills of world-class players, but could also could the local development of sport and the local sports culture, laying solid foundations for Hong Kong to co-host the 15th National Games in 2025.

Fiba World Cup qualifiers: China battle back to beat Iran 86-74, maintain winning start under new coach Dordevic

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}China use huge scoring runs in second half to turn the game around Despite loss, Iran also reach finals after Kazakhstan fall 98-53 to Australia in Melbourne

China use huge scoring runs in second half to turn the game around

Despite loss, Iran also reach finals after Kazakhstan fall 98-53 to Australia in Melbourne