Iran’s Hard-Fought Win Over Qatar at FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifier


TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Iran national basketball team defeated Qatar 76-74 at a packed Azadi Basketball Hall on Friday to start off its FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers campaign on high note.

Behnam Yakhchali topscored for Team Melli with 20 points on 6-of-13 shooting from beyond the arc, alongside 3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals to net an efficiency of 20.

Navid Rezaeifar finished with 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the floor as all but one of the 11 players fielded by Coach Hakan Demir scored at least 3 points in the win.

It was the first Asia Cup Qualifiers game to go into OT since the meeting between Syria and Saudi Arabia back in June 12, 2021.

Iran will meet India three days later in New Delhi in Group E.