TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s men’s basketball team will host Japan on Monday at 7 p.m., aiming to rebound after a 26-point defeat to the same opponent just days earlier in the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers.

Head coach Gianluca Tucci said the 12-man roster for the rematch will feature changes, though he declined to reveal details. He said the staff is working to “find the balance in this lineup” and emphasized that Taiwan will focus on improving its defense, per CNA.

Taiwan is grouped with Japan, China and South Korea in the preliminary round. Under FIBA regulations, the top three teams in each group advance to the next stage.

In their first meeting, an away game in Japan, Taiwan struggled under strong defensive pressure and committed 19 turnovers.

Speaking to reporters after practice Sunday at Xinzhuang Stadium, Tucci said the intensity of the Asian Qualifiers is far higher than in other tournaments. He said every upcoming game will be difficult and hopes the players are mentally and physically ready.

Tucci also responded to criticism of the “one big, four small” lineup used against Japan, which failed to hold up defensively. He said the system has produced many wins, but does not work in every situation. Taiwan was outmatched on the boards in the previous game, prompting the coaching staff to consider adjustments.

He noted the team has limited size, with Tseng Hsiang-chun (曾祥鈞) the only true power forward, who sometimes shifts to the center position. “We don’t have many options to begin with, so we can only try to find good variations,” he said.

Tseng played 9 minutes and 22 seconds in the first game, finishing with 2 points and 2 rebounds.

According to the FIBA schedule, each team plays one home and one away game in the preliminary round. After Monday’s rematch with Japan, Taiwan will host South Korea on Feb. 26, 2026; host China on March 1; then play away games against South Korea on July 3 and China on July 6.