Asian Games: Indian men's basketball eliminated in group stage

Yadwinder Singh (left) and Vishesh Bhriguvansh (right)

Incheon, Sep 24 (IANS)

Indian men's basketball team bowed out of the 17th Asian Games after losing their second consecutive preliminary round Group E match, going down 41-76 to Iran at the Samsan World Gymnasium on Wednesday.

India, who topped their group in the qualifiers, found the going difficult from the outset.

But in contrast to their loss against the Philippines in the opening preliminary game where they improved as the match wore on, the Indian hoopsters' performance deteriorated against Iran as the tie progressed.

India were just six points adrift as Iran ended the first quarter with a 22-16 lead.

That difference became 10 by the end of the second as the Iranians started settling in to the game and led 38-28.

Iran really put the hammer down in the third as they scored 20 points to India's eight.

And in probably their worst performance in a quarter, the Indians managed just five points in the final period as Iran completed a 71-46 rout.

India's poor offence was ratified by the fact that only captain Amritpal Singh (10 points) reached the double figures.

Vishesh Bhriguvanshi, who had been impressive so far, managed just nine points while Narender Kumar Grewal chipped in with eight.

Iran captain Mohammadsamad Nik Khahbahrami and Hamed Ehadadi were the joint top-scorers in the match with 16 points each.