Taipei: Taiwan’s men’s national basketball team suffered a heartbreaking loss on Wednesday, ending its FIBA Asia Cup run after Iran staged a dramatic comeback to secure a 78-75 victory in the quarterfinals at King Abdullah Sports City in Saudi Arabia. The national squad, competing under the name Chinese Taipei, led by 21 points at one point and stayed ahead for 38 minutes and 30 seconds of the 40-minute game. Iran only took the lead in the final minute, but it was enough to knock Team Taiwan out of the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup.

According to Focus Taiwan, with the win, Iran advances to Saturday’s semifinals, where it will face Australia. The loss ended a promising campaign for Team Taiwan, which had been aiming for its first semifinal appearance since the 2013 FIBA Asia Cup, when it also fell to Iran, 79-60, in the semifinals. Taiwan’s coach Gianluca Tucci expressed his thoughts at the post-game press conference, acknowledging a better shooting performance but recognizing the missed opportunity to overcome the last
issues of the game. Despite the loss, Tucci expressed pride in the team’s effort and dedication.

Team Taiwan’s captain Liu Cheng acknowledged the value of the high-pressure experience provided by Iran, suggesting that the team will perform better in similar situations in the future. Taiwan opened the game with a promising 10-0 run and held a commanding 42-26 halftime advantage. However, in the second half, Iran began its comeback after Taiwan’s naturalized center Brandon Gilbeck was benched due to foul trouble early in the third quarter. Without a strong presence in the paint, Iran’s players steadily chipped away at Taiwan’s lead.

Shooting guard Lin Ting-chien led the team with 22 points, maintaining a comfortable lead of 64-52 entering the fourth quarter. Iran then opened the final quarter with a 17-5 run, tying the game at 69-69 with three minutes remaining. In the final moments, Amini’s free-throw and subsequent layup secured the victory for Iran, concluding with an MVP performance of 30 points, 11 rebou
nds, two assists, and one block. Taiwan’s final possession saw Lin miss a potential game-tying shot, sealing the team’s fate.

Iran’s coach Sotirios Alex Manolopoulos shared his insights at the post-game press conference, emphasizing the change in approach at halftime that led to Iran’s successful comeback. The coach noted that the team played to its maximum in the second half, which was pivotal in overcoming Taiwan’s early lead.