The South Korean men's basketball team achieved significant victories against the Philippines in two exhibition games held at home, ahead of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
Under the guidance of head coach Nikolajs Mazulis from Latvia, South Korea (FIBA ranking 57) won decisively against the Philippines (ranked 40) with a score of 69-42 in their second exhibition match on September 6 at the KT Sonicboom Arena in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province.
Following a commanding 81-55 victory in the first match on September 4, South Korea successfully completed its final preparations for the Asian Games.
Additionally, the team has extended its winning streak to three games, including an 85-72 victory over Saudi Arabia in the second round of the 2027 FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers on August 31. Since his appointment in December, Coach Mazulis has recorded a total of four wins and six losses.
In the latest match, South Korea struggled with shooting early on, failing to score for over three minutes. However, a free throw by Lee Hyun-jung (unaffiliated) sparked their offense. With four three-pointers from Yoo Gi-sang (Changwon LG) in the first quarter, South Korea finished the period with a commanding 19-4 lead.
In the second quarter, Yeom Jun-seok (University of Seattle) shone with eight points in the paint. South Korea maintained pressure both inside and outside, concluding the first half with a 38-14 advantage. They continued to dominate in the second half, at one point extending their lead to 37 points for a comprehensive victory.
Yoo Gi-sang led the scoring with 15 points, hitting five three-pointers at a 62.5% success rate. Yeom Jun-seok contributed 14 points, while Lee Hyun-jung achieved a double-double with 11 points and 15 rebounds, along with six assists, two steals, and three blocks, showcasing his all-around performance.
The Philippines, a strong team in Asia that won the gold medal at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, fielded a weakened squad for this match, missing key players including naturalized player Justin Brownlee.
With this victory, South Korea improved its all-time record against the Philippines to 30 wins and 17 losses.
Boosted by their home victories, the team will depart for Nagoya, Japan, on September 7, aiming for their fifth Asian Games gold medal, the first since the 2014 Incheon Games.
The men's basketball tournament at the Asian Games features 12 countries divided into three groups. The top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed teams, will advance to the quarterfinals. South Korea, placed in Group A, will play its first match against Saudi Arabia (ranked 64) on September 10 at 4 PM, followed by games against Indonesia (ranked 92) on September 11 and Japan (ranked 22) on September 13.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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