TEHRAN- In a heart-stopping final at the FIBA U16 Women’s Asia Cup Division B in Seremban, Malaysia, Iranian girls came within a single point of glory, falling 67-66 to India in a game that could have marked their historic promotion to Division A.

Despite the loss, the team’s journey, led by head coach Sarveh Zarghamian, was nothing short of inspirational. Throughout the tournament, Iran outperformed tough opponents including Uzbekistan, Samoa, Malaysia, and Hong Kong. They reached the final with confidence and high morale, only to see their hopes dashed by the narrowest of margins.

Fataneh Malek, Vice President of the Iran Basketball Federation for Women's Affairs, accompanied the team in Malaysia and shared her insights in an exclusive interview.

“It came down to the smallest details.” That’s how Fataneh Malek, Vice President of the Iran Basketball Federation, described Iran’s heartbreaking one-point loss to India in the FIBA U16 Women’s Asia Cup Division B final. Despite falling just short of promotion to Division A, Malek believes the team’s performance marked a major leap forward for girls’ basketball in Iran.

“It was an intense match, and our girls played their heart out,” Malek stated. “The final result came down to minor details, especially our free-throw conversion rate. That’s where the game slipped away.”

“In Division B, only the champion earns promotion to Division A,” Malek explained. “That’s what made this final so critical. Losing by one point under these rules is painful, but it also proves that we’re on the brink of competing at Asia’s top level.”

Malek emphasized the importance of post-game analysis and using this experience as a learning curve for future tournaments.

“This wasn’t just about winning or losing,” she said. “It was about seeing how close we are to the elite. If we fix some tactical issues, especially consistency in quarter-three and pressure handling in the final minutes, we’ll absolutely be ready for the next step.”

Iran’s journey through the group stage included wins over Samoa (78–45) and Uzbekistan (61–54), with their only loss again coming against India. They eliminated Malaysia and Hong Kong convincingly in the playoff stages before meeting India once more in the final.

“These girls are talented, disciplined, and hungry,” Malek noted. “We’re building a generation of players who can make Iran a force in women’s basketball in Asia.”

“Looking ahead, the federation is focused on refining technical training, improving mental resilience, and continuing the momentum gained from this campaign.

“This isn’t the end, it’s the beginning of something greater,” Malek concluded.