Iran b-ballers beat Qatar in FIBA Asia Cup

TOKYO,Sept.17(MNA) – Iran basketball team beat Qatar 85–75 in the 4th FIBA Asia Cup at the Ota Gymnasium in Tokyo on Sunday. Iran's Samad Nikkhah Bahrami was on top of the score sheet with 27 points. Mansour El-Hadary was Qatar’s top scorer with 11 points. The Persians will face Chinese Taipei in Group B on Monday. Four top sides from the each group will qualify for the quarterfinals. A total of 10 teams are divided into two groups of five. The first team will book a berth in the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship which will be held in Manila, the Philippines. The FIBA Asia Cup was played since 2004, then 2008 and 2010. Qatar was champion in 2004 in Taipei, Jordan won the title in 2008 in Kuwait, while Lebanon won the crown in Beirut in 2010.