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China on FIBA World Cup brink after stunning loss

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Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="China" s="" Li="" Kaier="" in="" action="" against="" South="" Sudan="" their="" Group="" B="" game="" during="" the="" FIBA="" World="" Cup="" at="" Araneta="" Coliseum="" Quezon="" City="" on="" August="" Jonathan="" ABS-CBN="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/sports/08/28/20230828-fiba-china-south-sudan-jc-3933.jpg"/><figcaption>China&#x27;s Li Kaier (1) in action against South Sudan in their Group B game during the 2023 FIBA 2023 World Cup at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on August 28, 2023. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA -- China head coach Aleksandar Djordjevic urged his players to show more &quot;spirit&quot;, with their FIBA World Cup hopes hanging by a thread after a stunning loss to South Sudan on Monday.</p><p>China went down 89-69 to the World Cup debutants in Manila for their second defeat of the tournament, following an opening-day monstering by Serbia.</p><p>China must now beat Puerto Rico in their final group game on Wednesday and hope that other results go their way to avoid a first-round exit.</p><p>Djordjevic said his players would have to have more fire in their bellies and accused them of lacking &quot;aggressiveness&quot; against South Sudan.</p><p>&quot;In moments of difficulty, you have to find your spirit to respond on the floor,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;It cannot be everything on paper -- you have to find it. Those moments are making winning teams.&quot;</p><p>China, ranked 27th in the world, fell behind early and could find no way back against 62nd-ranked South Sudan.</p><p>They finished the first quarter trailing by eight points and fell short when it mattered, being outscored by 10 points in the final quarter.</p><p>China&#x27;s Zhao Rui said he and his teammates &quot;didn&#x27;t have the same desire as our opponents&quot;.</p><p>Djordjevic said South Sudan&#x27;s 15 successful three-point shots made the difference.</p><p>&quot;Those are the killers, they&#x27;re just cutting your legs,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;When you work so hard and you know what is coming and they shoot in your face and just make it happen.&quot;</p><p>American-born Li Kaier led China in scoring with 22 points.</p><p>Li, also known as Minnesota Timberwolves power forward Kyle Anderson, made headlines when he signed up for China&#x27;s national team after obtaining citizenship last month.</p><p>His performance against South Sudan marked an improvement on his tournament debut against Serbia, where he failed to score a single point.</p><p>China are now in danger of missing out on the Paris Olympics qualification spot awarded to Asia&#x27;s highest-placed team at the tournament.</p><p>Japan beat Finland for their first win on Sunday night and could qualify for the next round if they beat Australia on Tuesday.</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s one of the goals -- if we understand it in the right way, it can be a great motivation,&quot; said Dordevic.</p><p>&quot;It doesn&#x27;t have to be a pressure, an extra burden on us. We just have to go out there and play our best game.</p><p>&quot;I don&#x27;t know another way.&quot;</p><p>© Agence France-Presse</p><div><b>For more stories on the FIBA World Cup, click <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/fibaworldcup2023" target="_blank">here</a>.</b></div><div><br/><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1iudgm9RNng?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

China head coach Aleksandar Djordjevic urged his players to show more 'spirit', with their FIBA World Cup hopes hanging by a thread after a loss to South Sudan,