Zob Ahan Beats Al Naft in WASL-West Asia
TEHRAN (Tasnim)– Iran’s Zob Ahan rallied back from 21 down to frustrate Al Naft of Iraq in overtime, 109-102, to put one foot into the WASL-West Asia Semi-Finals at the Azadi Basketball Hall.
Gholizadeh led the way with 31 points -- almost tying his Group Phase total across three games (33) -- on 55-percent field goal shooting, including a 7-of-13 clip from deep. He also had 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals in 41 minutes.
Gholizadeh broke the 97-all deadlock through a trifecta with 2:14 left to play, before Arman Zangeneh and Sajjad Mashayekhi supplied the key baskets that took the fight out of the visitor as it went on to complete the epic comeback, FIBA wrote.
The Iranian side now leads the best-of-3 Qualification to Semi-Finals series at 1-0, and could close it out in Game 2 next Wednesday at the Al Shaeb Hall in Baghdad.
