Dramatic Upset in Asian Qualifiers

New Taipei City – Chinese Taipei secured a significant 77-65 victory over South Korea in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers on Thursday, February 26th. This win marks the first time Chinese Taipei has defeated Korea in major FIBA competition since 2009.

The game saw a shift in momentum after an initial 7-0 run by Korea. Chinese Taipei then controlled the remainder of the three quarters, ultimately securing a dominant win.

Key Players Shine

Brandon Gilbeck led Chinese Taipei with a double-double performance, scoring 16 points and grabbing 14 rebounds, earning an efficiency rating of +29. He has consistently scored at least 16 points in all of his World Cup Qualifiers games.

Benson Lin was the top scorer for Chinese Taipei, contributing 18 points with an impressive 7-of-9 shooting performance.

Turning Point: Lee Hyunjung’s Foul Out

A crucial moment in the game occurred when Korea’s Lee Hyunjung fouled out with over four minutes remaining. Lee, who had 18 points and 8 rebounds, was a key force for Korea, and his disqualification proved too tough for the team to overcome.

“I feel we played in the wrong pace, and we didn’t move the ball well enough. That shows we had a bad balance between assists and turnovers…”

Korean Coach (as reported by FIBA.basketball)

Statistical Highlights

• Chinese Taipei led for 34 minutes of the game.
• Korea committed 18 turnovers compared to Chinese Taipei’s 13.

Group B Standings

With this result, Chinese Taipei’s record improves to 1-2, while Korea falls to 2-1. China also secured a win today, keeping Group B wide open with all four teams – Korea, Japan, China, and Chinese Taipei – still in contention for a spot in the Second Round.

FAQ