Nagoya: South Korea advanced to the men's basketball final of the Asian Games on Friday, defeating Iran 77-51 in the semifinals at Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, central Japan. The victory guarantees South Korea at least a silver medal in the tournament.
According to Yonhap News Agency, forward Lee Hyun-jung was instrumental in the win, scoring a game-high 26 points, including 12 in a crucial third quarter. Lee showcased his shooting prowess by going 7-of-13 from behind the arc. South Korea is now just one win away from securing its first men's basketball gold medal in 12 years, with the final scheduled for 7:40 p.m. Sunday at the same venue.
The team, coached by Nikolajs Mazurs, will face the winner of the other semifinal match between China and Japan. South Korea's journey to the final included victories in all three group matches, one of which was against Japan, followed by eliminating Jordan and Iran.
The semifinal game started with a low-scoring first quarter, as both teams struggled offensively. South Korea led 12-8, shooting 24 percent from the field, while Iran made only two of its 13 attempts. Lee Hyun-jung contributed two of the team's four three-pointers in the first quarter, continuing his impressive performance throughout the tournament.
In the second quarter, South Korea extended their lead with a 7-0 run. Yeo Jun-seok's free throws pushed the score to 23-10. Although Iran narrowed the gap to single digits, Lee Hyun-jung's three-pointer and Lee Woo-suk's buzzer-beating layup helped South Korea maintain a 36-24 lead at halftime.
Lee Hyun-jung achieved a double-double by halftime with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Despite Iran's efforts to stay in the game, Lee Hyun-jung and Lee Jung-hyun's back-to-back three-pointers in the third quarter expanded South Korea's lead. Lee Hyun-jung further widened the gap with a deep three and a rare four-point play, entering the final quarter with a commanding 61-37 lead.
South Korea continued to dominate in the final quarter, securing their place in the gold medal game. The team made 14 three-pointers, while Iran struggled with a 2-of-23 performance from downtown and an overall 25 percent shooting accuracy.