China falls to Uruguay in second men's basketball warm-up game

China's men's basketball team suffered a 91-72 defeat to Uruguay in its second warm-up game on Saturday in Foshan, Guangdong province, committing 18 turnovers.

China struggled to find its rhythm in the first half, failing to effectively contain Uruguay's Nicolas Martinez on cuts and drives. On offense, China relied heavily on Zhao Jiayi's shooting from beyond the arc and trailed 48-39 at halftime.

The third quarter proved decisive as China committed a series of turnovers and struggled offensively, allowing Uruguay to quickly stretch its lead to more than 20 points.

A late surge from Li Hongquan in the third quarter gave China hope of a comeback, but the host continued to struggle with turnovers in the final period and allowed Uruguay a number of open shots in the paint. Uruguay eventually secured a 91-72 victory.

Zhao led China with 17 points, while Jiao Boqiao added 11. For Uruguay, Santiago Vescovi scored a game-high 21 points, along with seven rebounds and six assists.

Uruguay head coach Gerardo Jauri said his team's guards showed greater aggression on offense than in the first game, while its strong defense helped create transition opportunities.

Despite Uruguay committing 30 fouls in the first game, Jauri said he had urged his players to remain aggressive defensively ahead of the rematch.

"Our players lack size, so we have to show greater aggression on defense. Basketball needs physical contact," Jauri said.

China's head coach Guo Shiqiang said his team became too impatient offensively when trailing in the third quarter, committing more turnovers and making poor decisions that gave Uruguay opportunities to score in transition.

Guo explained that the primary purpose of the three warm-up games in Foshan was to help all players regain their competitive rhythm.

"The final 12-man roster for the fourth window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian Qualifiers will be selected based on both performances in the warm-up games and players' day-to-day training form," he added.

China will next face New Zealand on Aug. 17.