Even though China's Li Kaier had a game-high 22 points, China lost to South Sudan 69-89 in a group game at the FIBA World Cup on Monday.

In Group B, it was China's second defeat after their 105-63 loss to Serbia on August 26.

At Araneta Coliseum in Quezon, the Philippines, Zhao Rui added 13 points, Zhou Qi contributed 10 points and Wang Zhelin only pocketed a bleak two.

On South Sudan's side, Carlik Jones took a team-high 21 points and Kuany Ngor Kuany added 16, while NBA player Wenyen Gabriel only scored three points in 20 minutes.

"They are a great experienced team, a lot of ball handlers, a lot of players who know how to take advantage of something from what they create on the floor," China's head coach Aleksandar Djordjevic commented on the winning team.

"They hit some really big threes at the end of our defense like 23rd, 24th second, they are just cutting your legs when you work so hard. And what is coming, if they shoot in your face and just make it happen," said Djordjevic.

The Serbian coach urged the team to play more aggressively. "In the first half, we exactly knew the game plan, the guys were ready for it. We executed well," Djordjevic recalled, adding "[We have] a little bit [of a] lack of our aggressiveness on the ball once the situations for shooting come up."

China will face Puerto Rico on August 30.

(With input from Xinhua)

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