Taiwan battled Iran to the end in the men’s basketball competition at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
Taiwan built a double-digit lead at one point but could not capitalize on its late defense or final chance to tie the game.
We examine what the 3-point loss after the opening win left Taiwan with in the group stage.
3-Line Summary
1. Taiwan lost to Iran, 69–72
2. Chen Ying-chun scored 29 points; Yu Ai-che had 10 assists
3. Taiwan’s Group B record is 1 win and 1 loss
Taiwan Could Not Get Past the Final 18 Seconds on September 12
Taiwan lost 69–72 to Iran on September 12 in a Group B men’s basketball game at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Japan. Taiwanese outlets Yahoo Sports and Liberty Times Sports reported that the result left Taiwan and Iran with identical group-stage records of 1 win and 1 loss.
The closing minutes were extremely tight. According to Liberty Times Sports, Taiwan pulled within 69–70 when Chen Kuan-chuan scored with 35.7 seconds remaining. Iran’s Mehdi Jafari then added 2 points on a drive to the basket, leaving Taiwan with 17.9 seconds.
The chance to tie fell to captain Chen Ying-chun. He attempted a 3-point shot from near the left 45-degree area, but it missed the rim, and the game ended there. The 3-point defeat was disappointing, but the key point was that the outcome remained undecided until the final possession.
The 3rd Quarter, When a 50–39 Lead Became a 1-Point Margin
Taiwan led 17–13 after the 1st quarter, but its offense stalled in the 2nd quarter, and it finished the 1st half trailing 27–28. After Yu Ai-che entered the game, Taiwan’s offensive connections came alive, and Liberty Times Sports reported that Taiwan at one point extended its lead to 50–39 in the 3rd quarter.
Iran, however, did not stop pursuing the game. Taiwan led 50–49 by just 1 point at the end of the 3rd quarter. With an 11-point advantage reduced to 1 point heading into the final quarter, Taiwan faced greater pressure on both offense and defense.
Physical play intensified in the 4th quarter. Gobai Kai left the court with his 5th personal foul 1 minute and 33 seconds before the end, and Liberty Times Sports reported that he had fouled out in two consecutive games. Taiwan then responded with scoring from Chen Ying-chun and assists from Yu Ai-che, but it could not stop Iran’s drive on the final defensive possession.
Chen Ying-chun’s 29 Points and the Team’s 36% Field-Goal Percentage
Chen Ying-chun played approximately 33 minutes and recorded 29 points and 4 assists. Coming off the bench, Yu Ai-che posted 6 points, 5 rebounds, and 10 assists, while Gobai Kai added 12 points and 7 rebounds. The two players’ performances played an important role in helping Taiwan recover its offensive rhythm in the 2nd half.
The issue was the team’s overall efficiency. Liberty Times Sports reported that Taiwan shot 36% from the field, made 8 of 30 3-point attempts for 27%, and committed 14 turnovers. Even when a team takes control for a stretch in the 2nd half, poor outside shooting and accumulated mistakes make one or two possessions at the end of a close game carry more weight.
Center Zeng Xiang-jun left the game in the 3rd quarter because of discomfort in his left wrist. The outlet reported that his injury status was still being assessed at the time, so his availability for subsequent games remains unknown. Yahoo Sports reported that Taiwan had beaten Jordan 83–80 in its previous game and was scheduled to play Qatar next in the group stage after the loss to Iran.
This was a game in which Taiwan produced stretches of competitive basketball but could not hold onto an 11-point lead through the finish. With Chen Ying-chun providing scoring and Yu Ai-che directing the offense, reducing its outside-shooting problems and mistakes will remain a clearer task for Taiwan in its next group-stage game.
References
Tags #AsianGames #AsianGames #AichiNagoyaAsianGames #MensBasketball #TaiwanMensBasketball #IranBasketball #TaiwanNationalTeam #ChenYingChun #YuAiChe #GobaiKai #BasketballGroupStage #69–72 #AsianGamesBasketball