'Shock reverse defeat to Taiwan' — Disaster-stricken Majors remains firm: "Possibility of qualification remains → Must assess Lee Jung-hyun's ankle injury"

*This content was translated by AI.

After suffering a shocking reverse defeat against Taiwan at home, creating what is being called the 'Goyang tragedy,' South Korean men's national basketball team coach Nicholas Majors (46) stated that the possibility of advancing to the second round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian qualifiers remains. He emphasized his determination not to give up until the very end.

Under Coach Majors, the South Korean national basketball team lost 80-82 in overtime against Taiwan in Window 3 Group B's fifth match of the '2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian Qualifiers' held at Goyang Sonol Arena on the 3rd. Although South Korea had taken a commanding lead with a 16-point advantage by the end of the third quarter, they suffered a painful comeback defeat after enduring a severe scoring drought in the fourth quarter. This loss left South Korea with a preliminary record of two wins and three losses. They once led by as much as 19 points but were unable to hold on.

Entering the official press conference with a stern expression, Coach Majors opened his remarks: "We controlled the game well through the third quarter, but from the fourth quarter onward, we failed to execute our plays and lost control in both offense and defense." He further analyzed the cause of defeat: "We were unable to stop Taiwan's tall center Brandon Gilbeck's play near the basket. He dominated the inside area and allowed many points."

Regarding the sudden collapse in the final quarter, Majors added: "Lee Jung-hyun, who was orchestrating our offense, had to leave the game due to an injury, which created significant difficulties in our offensive execution. It is very painful that we lost momentum and confidence to the opponent right after Lee's absence in the early part of the fourth quarter."

Following him, Lee Woo-seok also expressed regret: "As soon as we lost stability in offense from the fourth quarter onward, our defense began to waver as well. The combination of physical limitations and a drop in energy levels near the end of the game prevented the players from overcoming this critical moment."

The most concerning issue is Lee Jung-hyun's injury status, which changed the flow of the game. When asked by reporters about the exact condition of Lee Jung-hyun, Coach Majors cautiously responded: "At this point, we only know that it is an ankle injury. It is difficult to determine at this moment how severe the injury is or whether he will be able to participate in future games."

This defeat has placed South Korea in a very unfavorable position in the race for second-round qualification, where the top three teams out of four in Group B advance. When reporters asked whether the probability of qualification had become extremely low, Coach Majors responded with a firm tone.

Majors stated: "If we look at it in terms of probability or percentage (%), it is true that our chances of advancing have decreased significantly compared to before. However, we still have opportunities remaining. Since the game is not over yet, we will do our best until the very end."

Facing the double blow of a shocking reverse defeat and the injury of their ace player, attention now turns to whether 'Majors' team' can achieve a turnaround in the remaining matches and keep the flame alive for the World Cup.

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*This content was translated by AI.