Iran stunned hosts China to retain the continental basketball crown with a crushing 70-52 victory in the Asian championship final Sunday. Anchored by hulking Memphis Grizzlies center Hamed Ehadadi, who top-scored for his team with 19 points, the Iranians won their ninth game out of nine by out-thinking, out-fighting and out-shooting the tournament favorites. Without the injured Yao Ming, China was relying on Yi Jianlian to lead its challenge for a 15th title in 18 appearances at the biennial tournament but the crowd spent much of the evening howling in frustration at the misfiring New Jersey Nets forward. Earlier, Jordan beat Middle East rival Lebanon by 80-66 with 28 points from Rasheim Wright to take third place in Asia, booking a trip to the 2010 World Championships in Turkey. The US-born Wright scored 12 of his points in the third quarter to put Jordan ahead for good, while Jordanian center Ayman Idais chipped in 20 points hitting six of eight three pointers. “Today we made our shots, today we were not nervous,” Jordan's Portuguese coach Mario Palma said. “Our players said ‘this is our day, we are going to fight and go to the World Champions'. We played a great, great game.” Jordan's win comes after a tough 77-75 semifinal loss to reigning Asian champion Iran Saturday night, while Lebanon also lost to China Saturday 72-68. The Jordanians started the Asian Basketball Championship game off quickly, jumping out to a 10-0 lead, only to see Lebanon come charging back with a 19-0 run of their own. The game went back and forth in the second, with Idais hitting five of his three pointers in the quarter to give Jordan a 36-28 lead at half-time, setting the stage for Wright to lead a spectacular fast breaking attack in the third period. Former Phoenix Suns Jackson Vroman led Lebanon with 18 points and eight rebounds, while former Atlanta Hawks Matt Freije was held to 10 points for the losers. Other results: Fifth place: Taiwan 87 Qatar 79; Seventh place: South Korea 82 Philippines 80.
