JORDAN kept its 2019 Fiba Basketball World Cup hopes alive after beating China, 86-62, in its home qualifier on Friday in Amman.
Dar Tucker had 32 points and 11 rebounds while Zaid Abbas had 20 points and 10 rebounds as Jordan improved to 6-5 (win-loss) to climb to a tie for third place in Group E with Lebanon and its victim.
Lebanon lost a close one at home to Group E topnotcher New Zealand, 67-65.
The twin results have implications on the qualifying hopes of Team Pilipinas, which, at 6-5 in Group F, needs to win its final game against Kazakhstan on Sunday and hope that it finishes with a better record than the fourth placer in Group E.
Under competition rules, the top three teams in Groups E and F and the best fourth placer in the two groups advance to the World Cup.
China, as host, is guaranteed a spot in the August showpiece.
Jordan, however, must still win over powerhouse New Zealand and Lebanon against Korea on Sunday in order to have a shot at securing a ticket in the World Cup.
In the event of ties, the quotient system will come into play.
Zhao Rui had 20 points while former NBA player Zhou Qi had 19 points and 10 rebounds but China was no match for Jordan, which outscored its opponents, 24-12, in the second period.
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