Despite steller performances by point guard Chen Ying-Chun and center Quincy Davis, Taiwan yesterday fell to Australia 88-68 in a first-round Asian qualifier for the FIBA Basketball World Cup in Melbourne.
Chen, the 24-year-old point guard of the Chinese Basketball Association’s Guangzhou Securities Longlions, had a game-high 22 points along with five rebounds and three assists, while Davis had a double-double, with 18 points and 11 rebounds.
However, it was not enough to overcome a dominant first half by Australia, who opened a 20-point lead late in the second quarter after a 12-0 run and led 47-25 at halftime.
Mitchell Creek starred for Australia, scoring 18 points on nine-of-nine shooting and grabbing nine rebounds in just 15 minutes.
Taiwan never got closer than 17 in the second half.
The loss left Taiwan with a 1-3 record in the four-team qualifying Group B, but still in position to qualify for the second round.
Teams in each group play home games against each other from November last year until July, and the three teams with the best record in each group advance to the next round.
Australia improved to 4-0 with their win over Taiwan, and are assured of finishing in the top three. The Philippines (2-1) were to play Japan (0-3) in Manila later yesterday, also looking to clinch a place in the final 12.
Taiwan’s only win so far came on Thursday, when they edged Japan 70-69 in Yokohoma after losing to Australia 104-66 in Taipei on Nov. 24 and to the Philippines 90-83 in Manila on Nov. 27.
They still have home games left against the Philippines on June 29 and Japan on July 2, with the latter likely to decide Taiwan’s fate.
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