BAGHDAD (Iraq) - Jordan displayed great resolve in coming back and beating the upset-hungry Iraq, 73-67, to finish the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers with a perfect record, Monday night at the Al Shaeb Hall.
The Falcons struggled on offense early on that the home team got off to a blazing 23-5 start and even led by as many as 19 points that a huge upset appeared imminent, but managed to find their touch come the fourth quarter to turn things around as experience proved to be the difference that enabled the visitors to complete the rally.
Bound for the tournament proper this August, the team of Coach Piti Hurtado topped Group D with an unblemished 6-0 record, becoming the second team after Australia to finish the Qualifiers without a loss.
Freddy Ibrahim led Jordan with 23 points, 10 of which he produced in the final period as he starred in the fightback that saw the crew regain their rhythm from three-point distance after misfiring early.
He opened the chapter with a triple, and that seemingly infected Malek Kanaan and Ashraf Alhendi as they knocked their own shots from the outside to help put together a 12-2 run for a 63-59 lead with 7:25 to go.
The squad would stay in the driver's seat the rest of the way. Dar Tucker even joined the fray and nailed a three of his own from the wing, before Ibrahim widened the spread to a decade, 71-61, with 3:21 remaining.
Iraq showed some signs of life offensively and cut the gap to just five with under two minutes left behind the veteran tandem of DeMario Mayfield and Ihab Al-Zuhairi. But it was a case of too little, too late for the home team, with Ibrahim striking the dagger through a jumper from the perimeter to make it a 73-66 count.
Mayfield led the Lions of Mesopotamia with 30 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists, playing all 40 minutes of the game as he tried to carry the team on his shoulders. Al Zuhairi backed him up with 14 points and 5 rebounds.
The Iraqis concluded their Qualifiers campaign with a 2-4 record following the defeat, and will now turn their attention to the Qualifying Tournament for Third-Place Teams.
Saudi trounce Palestine in Jeddah
The other game of the group witnessed Saudi Arabia roll past the also-ran Palestine, 93-71, at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah in a night that belonged to star big man Mohammed Alsuwailem.
There, the towering center delivered a monster outing of 21 points and 21 rebounds, tying the most rebounds in a single game in this particular Asia Cup Qualifiers initially set by Josh Harrellson in Japan's 77-56 victory over Guam at the Ariake Coliseum in Tokyo back in the first window in February of last year.
He was just three rebounds shy from tying, four from surpassing the record of 24 made by Sani Sakakini in Palestine's 129-74 win over Sri Lanka back in February 2021 - the same game he also scored 36 points.
The 26-year-old Alsuwailem also shot an efficient 7-of-11 from the floor and went 7-of-9 from the free throw line. He tallied 2 assists and 5 blocks as well on his way to netting an efficiency of 37 - a game-high.
Muhammad Abdurrakhman top-scored for Saudi Arabia with 23 points on 6-of-8 shooting from beyond the arc and 6 assists. Marzouq Almuwallad contributed 15 points, while veteran big man Mohammed Almarwani finished with 15 points as the team finished the Qualifiers as the no. 2 team in Group D with a 4-2 record.
Brian Halums and Jamal Mayali, meanwhile, shared the scoring load for Palestine with 26 and 19 points, respectively.
FIBA