Iran earn epic win over Chinese Taipei to reach semis

TEHRAN – Iran staged one of the most dramatic fightbacks the FIBA Asia Cup has ever seen, erasing a 21-point deficit to edge Chinese Taipei 78-75 in the Quarter-Finals at King Abdullah Sports City on Wednesday night.

Mohammad Amini delivered a tour de force performance with 30 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists and a block, while Sina Vahedi added 21 points and two triples in a display of grit and poise that sent Team Melli into Saturday’s Semi-Finals still unbeaten at 4-0.

 The result ended Chinese Taipei’s spirited run, as they bowed out with a 3-2 record.

Lin Ting-Chien paced Chinese Taipei with 22 points, 3 triples and 2 steals, while the Hinton brothers and Chen Ying-Chun chipped in timely bursts that had them in full control for most of the night. In the end, however, the game belonged to Iran’s relentless will to claw their way back.

“I believe when we were not making shots, that bothered our mind and mentality,” Iran coach Sotirios Alex Manolopoulos said. “At halftime, we had a long talk, and we changed the approach. We had to start from defense, to play aggressively possession by possession. We knew we will get our shots, and this time, we will make out shots. For the second half, we played to our maximum.”

For Iran, the comeback was not just about advancing to the Semi-Finals. It was about reaffirming their status as title contenders and proving that no deficit is insurmountable.

For Chinese Taipei, it was a heartbreaking end to a campaign that had exceeded many expectations, highlighted by their wins over Philippines and Jordan.

“We shot better, but we still lost the game. This is basketball,” said Chinese Taipei coach Gianluca Tuccil. “We didn’t overcome the last issues of the game. Maybe we deserved to win, but this is basketball. But I am still proud of every single player, every single member of our staff, of our federation.”

Iran will now prepare for a Semi-Finals showdown on Saturday against Australia, carrying both the momentum of an unbeaten record and the confidence that comes from surviving the face of near-certain defeat.