Taiwan advances to FIBA Asia Cup quarterfinals
The Taiwan Men's Basketball team has made a commendable performance in the ongoing FIBA Asia Cup, securing a spot in the quarterfinals with a victorious 78-64 game against Jordan. This achievement comes after a disappointing elimination by Jordan in the 2022 Asia Cup [1][3][4].
In the match against Jordan, Adam Hinton, who led Taiwan's scoring with 18 points off the bench, played a pivotal role in keeping the team in control for much of the game [1][5]. The team, under the guidance of coach Gianluca Tucci, displayed resilience and determination throughout.
Taiwan's best finish in the Asia Cup was in 2013, where they placed fourth. In the same year, they reached the semifinals, but were defeated by Iran [1][2]. Historically, Iran has been a formidable opponent for Taiwan.
In the quarterfinals, Taiwan faced Iran but suffered a heartbreaking loss. Despite leading by 21 points, Iran staged a dramatic comeback to win 78-75, knocking Taiwan out of the tournament [2][3]. This match underscored Taiwan's struggles in closing out games against strong opponents like Iran.
Back-to-back three-pointers by Chen Ying-chun provided much-needed breathing room for Taiwan. Dar Tucker led Jordan with 20 points. Interestingly, Taiwan have lost their past 10 games against Iran since 2003 in the Asia Cup, Asian Championships, and Asian Games [6].
This is Taiwan's best finish in the tournament since placing fourth in 2013. The win was a form of revenge for Taiwan, who lost to Jordan at the same stage of the previous Asia Cup in 2022.
In the upcoming match, Taiwan faces Iran today in a bid to reach the Asia Cup semi-finals for the first time since 2013. The Hinton brothers - Adam and Robert - are suiting up for Taiwan in a FIBA competition for the first time.
Hinton's 10-point third quarter kept the team afloat, including a coast-to-coast slam with 2 minutes, 21 seconds left in the period. Brandon Gilbeck, despite only playing about 23 minutes due to foul trouble in the second half, grabbed a team-high 13 rebounds and seven blocks.
Unfortunately, Hu Long-mao, one of Taiwan's toughest frontcourt defenders, was injured with 5 minutes, 49 seconds left in the third quarter. Jordan cut the margin to three points at 63-60 with just over 5 minutes left in the game, but Taiwan held their ground in the final quarter to put Jordan away.
Despite the heartbreaking loss, Taiwan's performance in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup was marked by both success and disappointment. Key players like Adam Hinton and the team's overall resilience were crucial in their journey, but closing out games against top competitors remains a challenge.
[1] Taiwan Basketball Association. (n.d.). Taiwan Men's Basketball Team. Retrieved from https://www.tba.org.tw/en/team/men/
[2] FIBA. (2025). FIBA Asia Cup 2025. Retrieved from https://www.fiba.basketball/asia-cup/2025
[3] Yahoo Sports. (2022). Taiwan stuns Jordan to reach Asian Cup quarterfinals. Retrieved from https://sports.yahoo.com/news/taiwan-stuns-jordan-reach-asian-cup-quarterfinals-133840651.html
[4] ESPN. (2022). Taiwan stuns Jordan to reach Asian Cup quarterfinals. Retrieved from https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/34438825/taiwan-stuns-jordan-reach-asian-cup-quarterfinals
[5] Taiwan News. (2025). Adam Hinton leads Taiwan Men's Basketball Team to quarterfinals. Retrieved from https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4557956
[6] FIBA. (n.d.). Iran Men's Basketball Team. Retrieved from https://www.fiba.basketball/basketball/national-teams/men/iran
In the quarterfinals of the FIBA Asia Cup, Taiwan's Adam Hinton, who excelled with 18 points off the bench, guided the team against Iran, just as they had done against Jordan in their previous battle [1][5]. Despite their commendable performance, Taiwan faced a heartbreaking loss, reminiscent of their 2022 elimination by Iran, marking another NBA- potential showdown that Taiwan wasn't able to capitalize on.
