TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's premier international basketball showcase is set to return with expanded global participation next month. The 44th William Jones Cup International Basketball Tournament (威廉瓊斯盃國際籃球邀請賽), one of East Asia's most prestigious basketball competitions, will commence July 2 at the Taipei Heping Basketball Gymnasium (臺北和平籃球館) with women's division action. Tournament officials announced Tuesday (June 24) that the men's competition will begin ten days later on July 12, taking place at the larger New Taipei Xinzhuang Gymnasium (新北新莊體育館) in the neighboring municipality. During a media event, organizers of the 2025 William Jones Cup unveiled the roster of high-caliber international teams that have confirmed their participation.
The tournament's highest-profile squad, Taiwan's primary national team ROC A Men (中華藍隊), will feature an all-star collection of the island's premier basketball talent. Basketball enthusiasts are particularly excited about the reunion of Ray Chen (陳盈駿) and Nelson Lin (林秉聖), standout performers from the recent Chinese Basketball Association championship series who typically compete against each other in professional play. The national team roster also includes veteran point guard Gavin Liu (劉錚), a longtime national team stalwart, alongside American-Taiwanese brothers Adam Hinton (賀丹) and Robert Hinton (賀博), both returning to their ancestral homeland after completing their collegiate basketball careers in the United States.
Taiwan's secondary national squad, ROC B Men, will provide a platform for the island's emerging basketball prospects to gain valuable international experience. This development-focused team features several promising young talents, including U.S. collegiate player Luke Lin (林現惟), who will team up with domestic standout Liu Cheng-hsun (劉丞勳) and other rising stars from Taiwan's basketball system. Tournament organizers have arranged a challenging competitive field for both Taiwanese teams, with strong national and club teams from regional basketball powers Japan and the Philippines, alongside squads from Australia and several Middle Eastern nations, all vying for the prestigious William Jones Cup trophy. ◼
