Iran, China forge semis duel; Japan stuns Qatar

CHANGSHA – Host China and titleholder Iran set up their much anticipated semifinal showdown even as Japan upended Qatar, 81-67, to advance to a possible Final Four faceoff with Gilas Pilipinas in the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship at the Changsha Social Work College Gymnasium here Thursday night.

The Chinese overpowered the Indians, 104-58, while the Iranians clobbered the Koreans, 75-62, to arrange a battle in one side of the semifinals.

They were projected to clash for the championship, but will instead square off in the semis because of Iran’s defeat at the hands of Gilas Pilipinas Monday.

Japan joined the heavyweights in the semis with its 14-point conquest of Qatar.

Gilas Pilipinas and Lebanon were fighting it out at press time for the last berth in the Final Four.

All semifinalists are assured of at least a berth in the Olympic wild card competition. The last team that will remain standing tomorrow secures automatic ticket to the 2016 Rio Olympics.

FIBA Asia newcomer Palestine outfought Kazakhstan, 83-81, in overtime while the Rajko Toroman-mentored Jordan squad massacred Hong Kong, 82-62, to set up a fight for ninth place.

The losers, meanwhile, were relegated in a battle for 11th place.

On Monday, Chinese Taipei topped Kuwait, 99-69, for 13th place while Singapore beat Malaysia, 92-59, for 15th place.

This Friday, the FIBA Asia board sits down in a meeting, discussing the merger of the Asia-Oceania zones and the new World Cup qualifying format that will take effect starting 2017.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Manny V. Pangilinan, who flew in here yesterday, will personally attend the conference.

China stamped its class on India, thus, avenging a shocker of a loss the Chinese suffered at the hands of the Indians in their FIBA Asia Cup duel in Wuhan last year.

And in hurdling the Indians, the Chinese are back in the FIBA Asia Championship semis after being stunned by Chinese Taipei in the quarters in Manila in 2013.