Matin Aghajanpour caught fire from long range, draining 6 triples en route to a game-high 19 points, while veteran big man Arsalan Kazemi turned in a classic all-around performance with 10 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals.
Guam, making its first-ever appearance at the FIBA Asia Cup, showed fight in spurts and rallied late in the third quarter to cut what was once a 21-point halftime deficit down to 11, 52-41, entering the final frame. Iran’s experience and firepower, however, were too much in the end.
The result sends Iran (1-0) to the top of Group B ahead of its marquee clash with Japan, who defeated Syria earlier in the day. Meanwhile, Guam (0-1) will aim to bounce back against Syria.
For the Iranians, the win marks another step in its mission to reassert itself among Asia’s elite. For Guam, the learning curve begins, but so does the journey.