Anyang KGC, the reigning East Asian champions, have won their second straight William Jones Cup.
KGC defeated Iran 84-72 in the 42nd edition of the 스포츠토토 William Jones Cup at the Huffing Kimnazium in Taipei, Taiwan on Thursday (July 14). It was their second straight win, following their last game against the UAE.
KGC’s opponent, Iran, is a young team with players in their early 20s. The top-flight squad did not participate in the tournament due to the team’s commitment to the FIBA 2023 Basketball World Cup in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia.
KGC was led by William Jones Cup specialist foreign players Duvon Maxwell and Brian Griffin. They led the way with 17 points and six rebounds apiece. Ko Chan-hyuk chipped in 15 points with four three-pointers. Bae added three more three-pointers.
Leading 50-34 at halftime, KGC struggled to keep up with Iran in the second half. However, Maxwell and Griffin came in down the stretch to push the lead back up and fend off the Iranian challenge.
With two wins in a row, KGC will play UC Irvine for the third time. Aside from Taiwan A and B, UC Irvine is the strongest favorite in the tournament. If KGC can defeat them, they will have a shot at winning the William Jones Cup.