Japan opened the men's basketball World Cup year with a win Thursday, easing past Iran 96-61 in Group F in the second round of Asian qualifying.
Japan, already qualified as a tournament co-host alongside the Philippines and Indonesia, got a game-high 20 points from debutant Ren Kanechika in a promising win at Gunma Prefecture's Takasaki Arena.
Yuki Kawamura twice scored from beyond the arc to give Japan a 22-16 lead after the first quarter, and Kanechika, who made six of his 10 three-point attempts, helped stretch his team's lead to 52-29 by halftime.
Joshua Hawkinson scored 17 while Kai Toews joined Kawamura on 15 points as Japan, ranked 38th in the world, kept 20th-ranked Iran at bay. Behnam Yakhchali and Mohammad Jamshidi were the visitor's top scorers with 15 points.
The win leaves Tom Hovasse's Japan with six wins and five losses ahead of its final game against Bahrain on Sunday.
