The South Korean men's basketball team capped off their final group stage match at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games with a victory over Japan, securing their third consecutive win and finishing first in their group.
Under the guidance of head coach Nikolajs Mazulis from Latvia, South Korea (ranked 57th by FIBA) defeated Japan (22nd) 100-83 on September 13 at the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya.
Having already clinched a spot in the quarterfinals with wins against Saudi Arabia and Indonesia on September 10 and 11, respectively, South Korea continued their momentum by overcoming a tough opponent in Japan.
Japan finished second in the group with a record of 2-1.
In this tournament, the top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed teams, will advance to the quarterfinals.
The quarterfinals are scheduled for September 16, with matchups to be determined later.
Despite missing key players like Yuki Kawamura, Rui Hachimura, and Yuta Watanabe, Japan showcased a strong lineup featuring 211 cm naturalized player Alex Kirk and mixed-race players Ibu Yamazaki, Abbie Goki Shaffer, and John Harper.
The game began with a close first quarter, ending 19-17 in favor of South Korea. They maintained a slight lead into the second quarter, but with just over two minutes remaining, Lee Hyun-jung's three-pointer extended their lead to 38-31. However, Japan responded with three consecutive three-pointers, allowing them to take a 42-40 lead at halftime.
In the second half, the teams continued to trade leads, but South Korea faced a setback when Lee Woo-seok was ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct after a confrontation with Harper. Following this, Japan took advantage of the situation.
Lee Jung-hyun, the KBL regular season MVP, stepped up for South Korea, narrowing the gap to 62-63 with a three-point play late in the third quarter. He then hit another three-pointer to regain the lead at 65-63.
Lee scored two more three-pointers in the final moments of the third quarter, ending it with South Korea ahead 71-66.
With their momentum, South Korea extended their lead to 80-69 with a three-pointer from Yoo Gi-sang and a tip-in and layup from Lee Hyun-jung with just over six minutes left in the game.
With 3:03 remaining, Lee Jung-hyun completed a three-point play, followed by a layup from Lee Hyun-jung, pushing the score to 91-77 with 2:30 left, effectively sealing the victory.
Lee Jung-hyun led the team with 25 points, including five three-pointers, and added seven assists. Veteran Jang Jae-seok contributed 18 points and eight rebounds, while ace Lee Hyun-jung added 16 points and seven assists.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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