Once again, a slow start proved detrimental to Rain or Shine as they succumbed 79-89 to Chinese-Taipei White in their second game of the 2023 William Jones Cup on Sunday evening at Heping Basketball Gymnasium.
Chinese-Taipei’s B team surged to a 16-3 lead and maintained their advantage throughout the game.
A long two-pointer by Rey Nambatac halted the scoring drought, but the Taiwanese team’s momentum persisted, resulting in a commanding 30-14 lead for the hosts.
Although the Elasto Painters managed to regain their composure in the final quarter, the substantial lead held by Chinese-Taipei, which had reached over 20 points at its peak, proved insurmountable.
Rain or Shine had also suffered defeat against Chinese-Taipei’s senior team on the opening day, with a score of 98-72.
Ange Kouame once again led the Elasto Painters, concluding the game with 15 points and nine rebounds.
Nick Evans contributed 11 points and six rebounds, while Gian Mamuyac and Nick Demusis added 11 and 10 points respectively.
Rain or Shine’s next opponent will be UAE on Monday. Iran secured its first victory earlier with a 69-63 triumph over Qatar.
He Dan emerged as the top Taiwanese scorer with 17 points, while Jian Tingjhao contributed 15.
By joining UC Irvine at the top of the table, Chinese-Taipei White maintained its position. UC Irvine had dominated UAE earlier in the day, securing a 109-49 victory.
