BENDIGO, Australia – In the second round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Asian Qualifiers on Monday, Iran was defeated by Australia 98 to 68.

Iran’s Mohammad Jamshidi scored 17 points, while Dejan Vasiljevic led the hosts with a game-high 23 points and five rebounds. 

In a 79-68 victory over Japan on Thursday in Tehran, Team Melli. 

Famous Iranian athletes Hamed Haddadi and Arslan Kazemi were not present for the Group F match that was played in Bendigo, Australia. 

In two groups of six teams each, the best three teams from each group will compete, pitting one team against the other.

For the hosts in Bendigo, Dejan Vasiljevic recorded a game high 23 points. Australia’s Vasiljevic played a courageous match with 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 0 blocks, with a total 23 points at game’s end. .

Salar Monji of Iran showed difficulty in matching the Boomers early on, missing crucial shot attempts, drawing significant fouls, and was finally subbed out in the 4^th quarter. He leaves the match with a decent 10 points total.

Mohammad Jamshidi (17 points), Sajjad Mashayekhi (11 points), and Salar Monji (10 points) were the leaders of Iran’s comeback attempt, but it was insufficient to pull off the major upset. 

Mashayekhi proved to be the top performer for Iran in this match with his 11 points on end though not the highest score in the team. He finishes with 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 0 blocks. Sajjad played heartily in quarter 4 with an amazing offensive rebound followed by a beautiful lay up. He keeps attempting shot after shot with success but to no avail, Iran loses to the Boomers.

With eight straight victories, Australia has remained unbeaten. They will now simply have to wait for the outcomes of the games that are still left in this window to determine if they can already seal World Cup qualification. 

On November 11, China will play Iran in Tehran home court.

With 13 points, the Iranian team is in second place in Group F, three points behind the Boomers.

Scores at the end of the match

AUSTRALIA with 98 points

Individual scores – Toohey 7, Vasiljevic 23, Mudronja 7, Norton 2, Hawke 0, McCarron 6, Kay 20, Blanchfield 2, Froling 9, Brandt 6, Travers 6, Vague 10

IRAN with 68 points

Individual scores – Aliakbari 4, Vahedi 9, Mashayekhi 11, Girgoorian 2, Jamshidi 17, Kazemi 0, Rezaeifar 6, Yazarloo 2, Pazrofteh 2, Miri 3, Monji 10, Aghajanpour 2

Match win goes to the Australia Boomers.