China woke up just in time to frustrate Chinese Taipei, 100-93, completing a Window 2 sweep of the FIBA World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers on Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
Coming off a comeback win against Japan last Thursday, China once again dug deep in the clutch, finishing the game with an 18-4 run to improve to 2-2 and tie South Korea — who fell to Japan, 72-78, earlier in the day in Okinawa — for second place in Group B.
Beyond securing a crucial win that bolstered China’s hopes for a top-three finish in the first round, the team also extended its dominance over Chinese Taipei, claiming its 12th victory in 13 official FIBA meetings, including a seven-game winning streak.
“We were very prepared before the game. I told the team that the game has to be played for 40 minutes — offensively and defensively. I thank my team and all of the team delegates because this is a team win,” said China head coach Guo Shiqiang.
“Team China has a very good tradition. It has been passed down from our older players. This win, I think my team was very selfless, and it actually helps the togetherness of the team and its camaraderie. My players are very patriotic, so they fight for their country,” he added.
Chinese Taipei looked poised to claim its first win over China in more than 12 years. A five-point spurt by Justin Lu and a crucial three-pointer by Benson Lim gave Chinese Taipei a seven-point, 92-85 lead with 5:30 remaining.
However, China methodically clawed its way back into the contest. Two free throws and a layup by Li Hongquan, followed by a long three-pointer from Zhao Jiwei, tied the score at 91-all with 2:45 remaining.
Ray Chen briefly gave Chinese Taipei the lead with two free throws, 93-91, but China responded with nine straight points to thrill a predominantly Chinese crowd in Pasay.
The sequence began with a He Xining layup and continued with five free throws combined from Zhao Rui and Hu Jinqiu, restoring a 98-93 lead with 15.2 seconds left.
Another pair of free throws from Jinqiu sealed the final score and China’s sweep of its Window 2 games.
Zhu Junlong led China with 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting, adding four rebounds and two assists. Meanwhile, Hu Jinqiu contributed 15 points, six rebounds, one steal, and one assist.
He Xining added 10 points, and Li Hongquan finished just shy of a double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds. Yu Jiahao and Liao Sanning scored nine and eight points, respectively.
The loss dealt a major blow to Chinese Taipei’s World Cup ambitions, leaving them at 1-3 in Group B, where only the top three teams advance to the second round.
“I think there is only one word for this game: proud. I am really proud of my players and my team. When we talk about the team, we talk about everybody,” Chinese Taipei Gianluca Tucci said.
“We played an amazing game, we played a great job during the game, unfortunately, there were some few episodes in the last quarter that changed the game.”
Chen paced Chinese Taipei with a game-high 26 points, four assists, three rebounds, and one steal. Lin added 22 points on 8-of-14 shooting, three assists, and one rebound.
Brandon Gilbeck scored 15 of his 19 points in the first half, finishing with 11 rebounds, four assists, three blocks, and two steals, while Lu contributed 15 points, eight rebounds, and one steal.
China opens Window 3 against Japan, while Chinese Taipei will try to rebound against South Korea. Both games are scheduled for July 3 at venues yet to be announced.
The two teams will meet again on July 6 to close out the first round.
