In a rematch of the 2017 FIBA Asia Cup Finals, Iran is eyeing payback against now two-time defending champion Australia in the semifinals of the 2025 edition.
Australia and Iran renew their rivalry in the FIBA Asia Cup semifinals on Sunday, Aug. 17 (PH time)
The match starts at 12 midnight at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in what will be a rematch of the 2017 Asia Cup Finals.
That initial FIBA Asia Cup encounter saw Australia dominate, 79-56, to capture the championship in its debut year in the tournament.
Since then, the Boomers have remained untouchable in Asia Cup play, gunning for a historic three-peat after also ruling the 2022 edition.
Australia’s dominance has been on full display once again, entering the semis with an average winning margin of 25.3 points.
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In the quarterfinals, the Boomers cruised past Gilas Pilipinas, 84-60, after burying seven three-pointers in the opening period for a 29-12 cushion they never gave up.
Jaylin Galloway set the tone with three triples in the first quarter on his way to 15 points, three rebounds, an assist, and a steal, while Owen Foxwell closed the show in the fourth with his own 15-point outing built on three treys.
Iran, on the other hand, arrives in the semifinals the hard way, grinding out back-to-back comeback wins.
Against Chinese Taipei in the quarterfinals, Team Melli overcame 21-point deficit to snatch a 78-75 victory.
Mohammad Amini starred with a massive 30-point, 11-rebound double-double, while Sina Vahedi added 21 points to help complete the turnaround.
[ALSO READ: Iran completes 21-point comeback to eliminate Chinese Taipei from FIBA Asia Cup]
Heading into this semis showdown, it’s worth noting that Iran is one of only two Asian teams to beat Australia since the Boomers started playing under the FIBA Asia territory.
Iran actually holds two wins over Australia, albeit the second one coming via forfeit.
(With reports from Jan Ballesteros)
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[Editor's note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]