Taipei: Taiwan’s men’s basketball national team clinched a spot in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup quarterfinals with a 78-64 win over Jordan in Saudi Arabia on Monday, securing its best finish in the tournament since placing fourth in 2013.

According to Focus Taiwan, the win was sweet revenge for Taiwan, which was denied a quarterfinal spot by Jordan at the same stage of the last Asia Cup in 2022 after blowing a nine-point lead in the final minute and losing 97-96 on a half-court buzzer-beater. Team Taiwan’s head coach Gianluca Tucci acknowledged the importance of the victory, noting that history plays a role in their journey. He appreciated the resilience of the Jordan team despite the previous defeat.

Led by Adam Hinton’s 18 points off the bench, Taiwan maintained control for much of the game, holding the edge in three of the four quarters. Despite facing challenges, such as losing a key defender, Hu Long-mao, to a knee injury and Brandon Gilbeck’s limited playtime due to foul trouble, the team managed to hold strong. Hinton’s performance in the third quarter, including a significant coast-to-coast slam, was crucial for Taiwan.

Jordan narrowed the score to 63-60 with just over 5 minutes remaining, but Chen Ying-chun’s back-to-back three-pointers provided Taiwan with the necessary lead to secure their win. Hinton’s efforts earned him the Player of the Game title, and he praised his teammates, particularly Gilbeck’s contributions in rebounding and blocking, as well as Chen’s crucial long-range shots.

Taiwan entered the tournament with a strong roster, featuring the Hinton brothers, Adam and Robert. Raised in the United States and born to a Taiwanese mother, they were eligible to represent Taiwan in FIBA competitions. Taiwan is set to face Iran next, aiming for a semifinal appearance for the first time since 2013. However, they face a challenge, having lost their last 10 games against Iran in various competitions since 2003. Their last victory against Iran was in the 1998 Asian Games.