China suffered its second defeat at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, falling to Group B rival South Sudan with a score of 89-69 in Manila, Philippines on Monday.
Leading China’s scorecard was Li Kaier with a game-high 22 points, followed by Zhao Rui with 13 points. Zhou Qi contributed 10 points in the paint, while Wang Zhelin had a meagre two points.
On the opposing side, Carlik Jones secured a team-high 21 points for South Sudan, while Kuany Ngor Kuany added 16. NBA player Wenyen Gabriel managed to score only three points during his 20-minute playtime.
Chinese guard Zhao Rui maintained his strong form by sinking a 3-pointer for China’s first points. With 17 points in China’s tournament opener, Zhao continued his impressive performance by making four out of seven attempts in his 31 minutes on the court.
Li broke his scoreless streak early in the first quarter by driving and executing a floater in rhythm. His basketball intelligence was evident as he drew a foul while in a shooting motion. With a total of 22 points, three assists, and five rebounds, Li showcased his all-around skills and growing chemistry with the team.
While China appeared to find their rhythm, South Sudan responded swiftly with long shots from beyond the arc. Led by Carlik Jones, who recently scored an impressive 35 points and 11 assists against Puerto Rico, the World Cup debutants stunned with 15 successful 3-pointers and a 50% shooting percentage throughout the game.
“They are an experienced and talented team, with many skilled ball handlers who know how to capitalize on opportunities they create on the court,” remarked China’s head coach Aleksandar Djordjevic on South Sudan’s victory.
Djordjevic pointed out the challenges his team faced against South Sudan’s effective shooting, saying, “They made some crucial threes towards the end of our defence, even when the shot clock was winding down. It’s tough when they shoot with such accuracy.”
The Serbian coach emphasized the need for his team to play more aggressively, noting, “In the first half, we executed our game plan well, but we lacked aggressiveness on defence when it came to contesting shots.”
As a result of this defeat, China finds itself at the bottom of Group B and is gearing up to face its final opponent, Puerto Rico, in the group phase.
By Xinhua.
