TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan Blue lost 96-71 to the University of California, Irvine in a William Jones Cup semifinal Saturday, setting up a third-place game against Taiwan White at Xinzhuang Gymnasium.
Taiwan Blue will face Taiwan White in the third-place game Sunday, according to a tournament press release. UC Irvine advanced to the championship game against South Korea’s Wonju DB Promy.
This year’s Jones Cup featured a controversial format under which Taiwan Blue was guaranteed a semifinal berth regardless of its group-stage record. The arrangement allowed the team to advance despite winning only one game in the preliminary round.
Injuries also hampered Taiwan Blue, which fielded only 10 players against UC Irvine. The US team opened the game with a 10-0 run, but Taiwan Blue fought back to tie the score at 19-19 at the end of the first quarter.
UC Irvine then took control with strong outside shooting, making 14 of 26 three-point attempts for a shooting percentage of more than 50%. Taiwan Blue’s interior defense struggled in the absence of Brandon Gilbeck, and UC Irvine ultimately secured a 25-point victory.
Taiwan Blue head coach Gianluca Tucci said the team performed well early despite its limited roster.
“In the first half, when our stamina and energy were still there, our performance was quite good. We only had 10 players, two of whom played with injuries,” Tucci said, per UDN.
Tucci said the team’s energy declined in the second half, affecting its shooting and contributing to the final margin.
Regarding the format controversy, Tucci said he had no role in planning the tournament and was therefore not in a position to comment on the arrangements.
“I previously said I wanted to play in the finals because I wanted more fans to have the opportunity to see Taiwan Blue and White teams compete. In the past, the excitement level was not as high after the outcome was already decided in earlier stages,” Tucci said.