The South Korean men's basketball team achieved a decisive victory over their long-time rivals Japan in the final group stage match of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
Under the guidance of Latvian coach Nikolajs Mazulis, South Korea (ranked 57th by FIBA) defeated Japan (22nd) 100-83 on September 13 at the Aichi International Arena. This win followed previous victories against Saudi Arabia (82-66) and Indonesia (102-48), securing South Korea's spot in the quarterfinals as the top team in Group A. Japan, with a record of 2 wins and 1 loss, finished second in the group.
This victory also allowed South Korea to restore their pride after suffering two consecutive losses to Japan in a pre-tournament series last August.
Lee Jung-hyun (Goyang Sono) was the standout performer, scoring a game-high 25 points, including five three-pointers, and contributing seven assists. Veteran Jang Jae-seok (Busan KCC) added 18 points and eight rebounds, while star player Lee Hyun-jung, despite struggling with his shooting, scored 16 points and made all seven of his free throws.
The first half was tightly contested, with South Korea leading 19-17 after the first quarter. However, they ended the second quarter trailing 42-40 after allowing Japan to score consecutive three-pointers late in the period.
In the third quarter, South Korea faced a challenge when Lee Woo-seok (Army Basketball Team) received an unsportsmanlike foul and a technical foul, leading to his ejection and leaving the team down 63-59. Lee Jung-hyun then turned the tide, scoring a free throw and hitting three consecutive three-pointers, helping South Korea outscore Japan 31-16 in the quarter and take a 71-66 lead.
In the fourth quarter, South Korea capitalized on Japan's mistakes, extending their lead to 11 points with a three-pointer from Yoo Gi-sang (Changwon LG) and consecutive scores from Lee Hyun-jung. Japan struggled with turnovers, further aiding South Korea's momentum.
With just over a minute left, Lee Hyun-jung calmly sank two free throws to push the score to 93-81. In the final moments, Lee Jung-hyun intercepted a pass, leading to a buzzer-beater three-pointer from Moon Yoo-hyun (Anyang Jeonggwanjang), sealing the victory at 100 points.
The South Korean men's basketball team's goal for this tournament is to win the gold medal, aiming for their first title in 12 years since the 2014 Incheon Games. Historically, South Korea has won the Asian Games basketball event four times (1970, 1982, 2002, 2014). However, their performance in the previous tournament was disappointing, finishing seventh after being eliminated in the quarterfinals by China at the 2023 Hangzhou Games.
The quarterfinals, where the competition for the gold medal intensifies, will take place on September 16, with the opponents determined by the results of the group stage.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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