'Goyang Disaster Unfolds!' MaJuls' Team, After Squandering a 19-Point Lead, Suffers Shocking 80-82 Overtime Loss to Taiwan; Second Round Qualification 'Uncertain' [Goyang On-Site Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

The South Korean men's national basketball team, led by head coach Nicholas Majlous, bowed its head after suffering a shocking comeback defeat against Taiwan at home.

On the 3rd, the South Korean national basketball team lost 80-82 to Taiwan in an intense overtime battle during the fifth match of Window 3 Group B in the '2027 FIBA (International Basketball Federation) Basketball World Cup Asian Qualifiers' held at Goyang Son Arena in Goyang City, Gyeonggi Province. Although they seemed poised for an easy victory after building a massive lead by the end of the third quarter, they allowed a tie due to a severe shooting drought in the fourth quarter and ultimately lost the battle for concentration in the final moments of overtime, becoming victims of the 'Goyang Disaster.'

Today, South Korea suffered a painful comeback defeat, recording two wins and three losses in the preliminary round, triggering alarms as they face an uncertain path to securing one of the three top spots in their group that advance to the second round. Suffering a blow from Taiwan (2-3), which was evaluated as the weakest team at home, has left the race for rankings shrouded in uncertainty until the very end.

Today, South Korea fielded its starting five with Lee Jung-hyun, Lee Woo-seok, Choi Jun-yong, Yeo Jun-seok, and Jang Jae-seok. On the bench were Park Ji-hoon, Byun Jun-hyung, Yu Gi-sang, Moon Jeong-hyun, Lee Du-won, Lee Seung-hyun, and Eddie Daniel. Taiwan countered with Benson Lin, Bachir Gadiaga, Ying-Chun Chen, Long-Mao Hu, and Brandon Gilbeck in that order.

South Korea took an early 4-0 lead in the first quarter with consecutive scores from Yeo Jun-seok and Choi Jun-yong but fell behind briefly to 5-9 amid Taiwan's counterattack. However, starting with Lee Jung-hyun's three-pointer, followed by Yeo Jun-seok's layup and Choi Jun-yun's three-pointer, they turned the tide to lead 15-11. Near the end of the first quarter, Yu Gi-sang and Byun Jun-hyung alternately made outside shots, seizing control with a 25-17 lead.

In the second quarter, South Korea successfully repelled Taiwan's fierce pursuit. Connecting Jang Jae-seok's inside shot and Lee Woo-seok's three-pointer, they extended their lead to 30-17, a 13-point gap. With about five minutes remaining in the first half, they allowed six consecutive points, narrowing the gap to seven points, but Lee Woo-seok and Jang Jae-seok reignited their scoring offense to end the first half leading 41-30. The distribution of points was well-balanced, with no single player dominating; Yeo Jun-seok led the team with eight points by halftime. Following him, Lee Woo-seok, Choi Jun-yong, and Jang Jae-seok each added seven points.

In the third quarter, South Korea pulled further ahead to solidify their hold on the game. While they faced some difficulty in containing Taiwan's tall center Gilbeck, players like Yeo Jun-seok, Choi Jun-yong, and Eddie Daniel steadily accumulated points, and Yu Gi-sang's three-pointer broke Taiwan's will to chase. At the end of the third quarter, the score was 65-49, with a 16-point gap.

However, in the final fourth quarter, a nightmare began. South Korea suffered from severe shooting struggles and turnovers, managing only four points and enduring their worst shooting drought. Meanwhile, Taiwan surged ahead with an incredible 19-point run, narrowing the gap to 69-68, and ultimately succeeded in taking the lead just before the game ended. With about one minute remaining, Lee Woo-seok scored a crucial inside shot during a fast break and drew a basket count-and-one foul, retaking the lead 72-70. However, he gave up two free throws to Taiwan's Gilbeck, tying the score at 72-72, sending the game into overtime.

The overtime period also saw an unpredictable seesaw battle. South Korea took the lead after Yeo Jun-seok made only one of two free throws, but they fell behind 76-77 after allowing an explosive alley-oop dunk from Taiwan's Gilbeck. Immediately, Yeo Jun-seok scored inside to retake the lead 78-77, but Taiwan's Benson Lin hit a two-pointer, reclaiming the lead at 78-79.

The momentum shifted dramatically in the final moments of the game. South Korea's Lee Woo-seok secured two crucial free throws, which Lee Jung-hyun calmly converted to achieve a dramatic comeback and take an 80-79 lead. With only one defensive stop needed for victory, they suffered a painful inside shot from Taiwan's Revin Ma, falling behind 80-81. A foul by Jang Jae-seok, who grew anxious as the game ended, allowed Gilbeck to calmly sink one free throw, ending the match with a shocking 80-82 defeat for South Korea.

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*This content was translated by AI.