FIBA U18 Asia Cup 2024: India falls to Iran in tough battle

India’s Struggles Continue with a 53-70 loss to Iran.

India’s campaign at the FIBA U18 Asia Cup 2024 faced another setback as they lost to Iran 53-70. Despite an attempted comeback, Iran’s last-quarter domination ended India’s chances of closing the gap. Mohammed Ishan shined for India with 14 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Mohammad Mahdi Heydari led Iran with 18 points, 10 assists, and 3 steals.

India looked much better than in their previous game against Korea. Their defense was more organized, but they struggled offensively. Both teams had difficulty finding their rhythm early in the game until Iran’s shooting began to click, allowing them to lead the first quarter 16-22.

Lavish’s poor form continued as he shot 3/20 from the field and recorded six turnovers. While his five assists provided some relief, Lavish was unable to control the game. Mohammed Ishan returned to form, shooting 50% from the field, with all his points coming from the paint. India attempted a comeback, trailing by just two points in both the 2nd and 3rd quarters.

Iran dominated India in two crucial areas: rebounding and points in the paint, both of which contributed to India’s defeat. While India managed to stop the constant flow of attacks with six blocks, they struggled to prevent points off turnovers.

Iranian captain Mohammad Mahdi Heydari led in scoring and rebounding, and Amirmahyar Keramati had a solid all-around game, scoring 13 points and dishing out 6 assists. He was a key playmaker for Iran, controlling the tempo and making smart decisions with the ball.

India now faces a must-win game against Kuwait on September 4th. Iran will play Korea in a top-of-the-table clash. The table toppers will qualify for the knockouts, while the second and third-place teams will compete in the qualification round for the quarter-finals before playing the classification games.

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