Japan's time at the FIBA Asia Challenge ended with a 75-67 loss to China in the fifth-sixth classification game on Sunday.

The result was Japan's fourth defeat in eight games at the men's tournament being held in Tehran.

Iran crushed South Korea 77-47 in the tournament final.

The win by China, the 14th-ranked team in the world, means the East Asian region gains a fourth spot for the 2017 FIBA Asia Cup, a qualifier for the 2019 World Cup.

Japan and Seahorses Mikawa guard Makoto Hiejima finished off the tournament with a 23-point, four-assist game to lead Japan against China.

The 190-cm, 26-year-old's 15.8 points-per-game average paced Japan in Iran. He shot a respectable 52 percent from the floor, a tournament-leading 55 percent (11-for-20) from three and 90 percent from the line over the eight games.

Naturalized U.S.-born player Ira Brown was a welcome addition to Kenji Hasegawa's rotation, giving the Japanese some much-needed toughness and athleticism in the front court.

Brown had a relatively quiet game against China with seven points and 11 boards, but finished the tournament averaging a 13.9-point, 12.6-rebound double-double, the latter good enough for second-most in the tournament.

With a number of Japan's top-line players, including the Takeuchi brothers — Kosuke and Joji — not playing in the tournament, Hasegawa will be looking to piece together a roster that will give Japan a chance to qualify for the Asia Cup, and then hopefully the 2019 World Cup, with all eyes looking ahead to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Iran's win was its third in the tournament, and solidifies the Middle Eastern squad as Asia's best, despite failing to qualify for the recent Rio Olympics, in which China was the sole men's team to qualify to represent the continent.