BRA/IRI – Brazil off to flying start with win over Iran
ISTANBUL (FIBA World Championship) - Brazil cleared an important hurdle at the FIBA World Championship by winning their opening game against Iran at the Abdi Ipecki. After failing to advance from the group stage four years ago in Japan, the Brazilians got off on the right foot with an 81-65 win over the two-time defending FIBA Asia ...
ISTANBUL (FIBA World Championship) - Brazil cleared an important hurdle at the FIBA World Championship by winning their opening game against Iran at the Abdi Ipekci.
After failing to advance from the group stage four years ago in Japan, the Brazilians got off on the right foot with an 81-65 win over the two-time defending FIBA Asia Champions.
Brazil were on top 14-11 when a Tiago Splitter three-point play triggered an 8-1 run over the final 3:38 of the opening quarter – a surge that Iran never recovered from.
Iran's Hamed Ehadadi did help his team stay in the game with 14 first-half points, but Brazil took command for good after the restart.
In the first 1:35 of the second half, Guilherme Giovannonni scored four points in a 7-0 surge – including a three-ball - as the Brazilians opened up a 46-29 lead and they stayed on top the rest of the way.
Guilherme's 17 points led the way for Brazil, who are now coached by Argentina’s 2004 Olympic gold-medal winning boss Ruben Magnano.
Leandro Barbosa chipped in with 13 points and visited with FIBATV.Com after the win.
Iran, who suffered the loss of captain Sammad Nikkah Bahrami in the week before the start of the tournament, got 16 points from Hamed.
Brazil face Tunisia on Sunday while Iran will go up against Croatia.
FIBA