Iraq, Kuwait complete the picture as four teams carry all-win record into Second Round

JAKARTA (2015 FIBA Asia U16 Championship) – Iraq and Kuwait picked up their first wins in the competition to advance to the Second Round even as four teams kept their winning streak intact heading into the Second Round of the competition.

Three-times reigning champions China overpowered Korea, a team they beat in the Finals of the 2009 and 2011 FIBA Asia U16 Championship, for their third win in as many days.

Philippines, Japan and Chinese Taipei the other three semi-finalists of the 2013 FIBA Asia U16 Championship all carry unbeaten records heading into the Second Round.

Group A: Japan romp ahead

Japan had nothing to worry in their game, and eventual win, against fellow East Asian team Hong Kong, winning 86-51 in a canter.

Torsten Loibl gave the entire entire Japanese roster a feel of the court, and all of them scored.

Yudai Nishida's 18 points, including three three-pointers, was Japan's highest.

Lin Man Ching's 17 points was the highest for Hong Kong, who had more heart-break coming their way after Kuwait beat Malaysia in a latter game.

Kuwait needed to win a force three-way tie (between themselves, Hong Kong and Malaysia), and win by at least nine points to keep their heads high in the three-way tie.

The Gulf team did much more than what was needed by winning 81-66, thus also taking Malaysia along into the Second Round.

Yousef Husain led Kuwait's win, their first in the competition, with 26 points and 14 rebounds.

Kalven Lim's 16 points was the highest for Malaysia.

Group B: Hosts Indonesia advance despite defeat

Hosts Indonesia went in to the game against Chinese Taipei assured of their progress irrespective of the result.

That didn't stop them from dishing out an enthusiastic display, at least for the entire first half of the game.

Taipei who had a forgettable first half, scored the first seven points of the second to break away.

Andre Rizqiano's drive in the lane ended the barren run for the hosts, but Taipei reeled in eight unanswered points to take a firm grip on the game. Taipei won 79-56.

Lin Ting-Chien celebrated his 16th birthday with a game-high 33 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 steals.

Aldy Rachman had 12 points for Indonesia.


Group C: Thais pick a win

Thailand beat Bahrain 65-58 for their first win in two games in a Group, where all three teams were already assured of progressing to the Second Round.

The win helped Thailand carry forward a win into the next round.

Group D: China's depth and Iraq's strength

There was very little to choose between China and Korea for a better part of the first two quarters of the game.

In a game where both team remarkably focused on defense – as against the traditional style of run-and-shoot – a 9-0 run to close the first half gave China the initiative.

China won 91-65 to post their 29th consecutive win in the history of the competition – including the current 3-0 run.

Wu Yujia's 17 points in an incredible 7/9 field shooting led China.

Seo Myeongjin was Korea's highest scorer with 13 points.

China will thus carry forward both their wins while Korea have to be content with their win against Iraq going into the Second Round.

Iraq and India were both looking for their first win – both having lost to both China and Korea on the opening two days – but it was certainly the former who looked the more focused between the two. Iraq won 90-69.

Having opened the scoring for the game, Iraq never fell behind on the scoreboard as India sacrificed caution for flamboyance and paid a hefty price.

Abdullah Abdullah had another field day leading Iraq's win with a game-high 39 points coming off an impressive 17/21 clip in field shooting.

Baladhaneshwar Poiyamozhi led India in scoring once again with 26 points, but his individualistic plays failed to fetch his team a win.

FIBA