Brazil defeats Iran in the first round of the Basketball World Cup – 08/26/2023 – Sport

Brazil comfortably defeated Iran by 100 to 59 in the first round of the Basketball World Cup, played jointly in the Philippines, Indonesia and Japan. The match was played at the Indonesia Arena, in Jakarta, this Saturday morning (26) .

The team led by Gustavo de Conti now faces Spain on Monday (28), at 10:30 am, in group G.

The Brazilian team entered the court already expecting a good result, not only due to the difference in quality to the Iranian team, but also because it carries confidence accumulated in the preparatory friendlies, in which it beat Australia, bronze in the Tokyo Olympic Games, in 2021, at the home of the australians. He also won South Sudan and Venezuela. It lost to Serbia and Italy in even matches and landed in Indonesia willing to surprise.

The national team started the match with Yago, Raul, Léo Meindl, Tim Soares and Caboclo. In the third period, however, Raul, who had eight points, slipped on the court, collided with an Iranian athlete and had to be removed on a stretcher. Gui Santos took his place.

Raul was treated by the national team’s medical team and, according to the Brazilian confederation, was taken to the hospital to undergo further tests. There was no more information about the player’s situation until the publication of this text.

The Brazilians took the lead in the first period, which ended at 33 to 12. In the second half, they added 24 points to 13 of their opponents. After Raul’s injury, however, the team, visibly shaken, lost intensity. Iran had its best moment in the match, adding 21 points to the account, against 25 for Brazil. In the last period, the Brazilians scored 18 more points, and the Iranians, 13.

Bruno Caboclo was the best Brazilian on the court, with 16 points, 7 rebounds and no assists. For Iran, the highlight was Hamed Ehaddadi, who added 10 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists.

Veteran Marcelinho Huertas, 40, reached 100 assists in World Cup matches. According to FIBA, Huertas is only the third player to reach that mark – behind Spaniard Ricky Rubio (130) and Argentine Pablo Prigioni (106) – since 1994, when data began to be recorded.

After Spain, Brazil takes on Ivory Coast still in the group stage – these two teams face each other at 10:30 am this Saturday. If the predictions are confirmed and Brazil advances alongside the Spaniards to the next stage, they will face France and Canada.

The World Cup will give a place in the Paris Games to the two best countries in the Americas. The United States, Canada, Venezuela, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic are in the competition. Those who do not obtain a direct classification, depending on their position in the Worlds, will still be able to try their luck in the pre-Olympic tournaments next year.