China's Yi Jianlian makes a shot during the team's 2011 FIBA Asia Men's Basketball Championship against Japan in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei province, Sept 21, 2011. [Photo/Xinhua]

WUHAN, China - Hosts China overcame Japan 84-58 to stay unbeaten at 2011 FIBA Asia Men's Basketball Championship on Wednesday and will play against Lebanon in Friday's quarterfinals.

Defending Champions Iran also raised its unbeaten record to 6-0 after beating South Korea 79-62. They will meet Jordan in the quarterfinals.

Yi Li led China with 19 points and five rebounds, while Yi Jianlian had a double-double of 18 points and 13 rebounds. Zhu Fangyu took all his eight points in the first quarter but contributed five assists. Liu Wei had 14 points and five assists. Wang Zhizhi earned 13 points and three steals.

China's Yi Li goes for a shot during the team's 2011 FIBA Asia Men's Basketball Championship against Japan in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei province, Sept 21, 2011. [Photo/titan24.com]

Zhu Fangyu and Wang Zhizhi combined 14 points in the first quarter. Kawamura Takuya led Japan with eight points but Zhang Bo's buzzer-beater three-pointer closed the first quarter as China led 21-16.

Kawamura Takuya continued his brilliant performance in the second quarter as he scored 11 points. Yi Li stood out and answered with 11 points. Yi Jianlian took 11 points before the half time and China enlarged the lead to 14 points by half.

Kawamura Takuya had a match-high 24 points, only five of which came from the second half. Matsui Keijuro became Japan's main attack force in the third quarter as he took all his seven points in that. But China had a 8-0 run in the beginning of that quarter and Wang Zhizhi took seven points in straight to close the third quarter.

Liu Wei's 11 points in the fourth quarter just enlarged China's lead to 21 points. The defeat put Japan in third place in the group and will play against South Korea in the quarterfinals.

"Defensively, we are quick," said China coach Robert Michael Donewald. "Kawamura Takuya is incredible but we used our guys to wear him down."

Donewald admitted that the real championship started after today's match.

"We are ready (for the qualifications). A lot of other teams are ready, too" said Donewald. "It's simple that the team which wins three games in-a-row will go to London. I think we are near to the best."

The other quarterfinal will be played between Chinese Taipei and the Philippines. Chinese Taipei trounced Malaysia 109-62 and the Philippines beat Syria 75-52. Chang Tsung-Hsien came up with 25 points to help Chinese Taipei occupy the third spot in the group.