Syria vs Iraq

Both teams entered the contest at Prince Hamza Stadium winless in Group C, knowing defeat would leave them anchored to the bottom of the table. Syria struck first through Christian James Moran, but Iraq answered through their big man Ihab Al-Zuhairi and an early offensive rhythm. The first half saw four lead changes as the sides traded blows — Iraq's Ramon Galloway orchestrating the offence before suffering a mid-game injury that would sideline him for the remainder of the contest.

Syria went into the break with a narrow advantage and built momentum in the third quarter as McGill found his range from deep. The naturalised guard scored from all three levels, punishing Iraq's switches and pulling up off the dribble with confidence. Omar Idelbi provided the athletic counterpoint inside, finishing above the rim and cleaning up misses on the offensive glass.

Iraq refused to fold. Despite losing Galloway — their leading scorer and creator — they rallied behind Ali Al-Musawi (18 points) and guard play from Ali Yusef and Farqad Barushki, pulling within two possessions in the final five minutes.

With the game locked in a tense back-and-forth, McGill took over. The debutant drained a step-back three-pointer from the top of the key to push the lead to five, then immediately delivered a crisp pass to Omar Idelbi in the corner for another triple — all within 20 seconds of game time. That 6–0 burst broke Iraq's resistance for good. Syria outscored Iraq 27–18 in the fourth quarter to seal the 10-point victory.

Donte McGill (Syria) — Player of the Match 34 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 5 three-pointers. The 30-year-old guard, playing his first minutes for the Syrian national team, shot efficiently off the dribble and made the defining plays of the fourth quarter. FIBA described it as "a debut to remember" in their game report.

Omar Idelbi (Syria) The 26-year-old forward was a constant energy source, providing rim-runs, chasedown blocks and a crucial corner three in the closing stretch off McGill's assist. His athleticism on the offensive glass generated extra possessions when the game tightened.

Ali Al-Musawi (Iraq) With Galloway sidelined, Al-Musawi carried the scoring load, tallying a team-high 18 points while showing composure against Syria's defensive pressure.

The final 91–81 scoreline reflected Syria's fourth-quarter dominance rather than the overall balance of play. The game featured 9 lead changes and 6 ties, confirming how competitive the first 36 minutes were. Iraq's efficiency dipped noticeably after Galloway's exit — their offence, which had flowed through his pick-and-roll creation, stagnated without its primary facilitator. Syria's 27-point fourth quarter was their highest-scoring period of the game, driven by McGill's isolation scoring and Idelbi's secondary actions.

The result lifts Syria to 1–2 in Group C (4 points), snapping a three-game losing streak in Asian Qualifiers dating back to the first window. Iraq remain bottom at 0–3 (3 points) after their third straight defeat.

In a group where only the top three advance to the Second Round, Syria now sit third behind Jordan (3–0) and Iran (2–1). Iraq face an uphill climb but still have three games remaining, starting with Jordan on 5 July. Syria also play again on 5 July, taking on Iran at the same neutral venue in Amman.

This was Syria's match to lose after Galloway's injury, and McGill ensured they did not. His debut injected a scoring punch the side had lacked in their two opening defeats. Iraq, brave in patches, ran out of offensive solutions without their star guard. For Syria, the Second Round door — ajar after two losses — has been wedged open.