TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's men's basketball team suffered a heartbreaking 89-87 defeat to Poland Thursday (July 24) at the FISU World University Games in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany, crushing hopes of achieving the program's best-ever tournament finish. Captain Yu Ai-che (游艾喆) led the squad into the 9th to 12th place ranking match with momentum from their decisive victory over India. The narrow loss denied Taiwan the opportunity to surpass its historical tournament performance at the prestigious international university competition.
Taiwan seized control early with aggressive play, but Poland clawed back to establish a slim 2-point halftime advantage. The contest remained fiercely competitive throughout the second half as both teams traded baskets. Taiwan mounted a crucial 9-3 scoring surge in the fourth quarter, sparked by clutch three-pointers from Lee Yun-chieh (李允傑) and Sung Hsin-hao (宋昕澔), but Hsu Te-chi's (徐得祈) final shot attempt fell short, sealing the devastating two-point loss.
Taiwan demonstrated impressive offensive depth with five players reaching double-digit scoring in the balanced attack. Hsu Te-chi (徐得祈) paced the team with 17 points while contributing five assists and two steals across the contest. Lee Yun-chieh (李允傑) provided explosive scoring with 14 points and four three-pointers in fewer than 12 minutes of playing time, while captain Yu Ai-che (游艾喆) added 10 points, six rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Taiwan now faces Latvia in their final chance to secure 11th place, with defeat relegating them to 12th position. ◼