If they had lost, it would have meant elimination, and that too against Japan... 'South Korea's Head Coach' Nicolas Mazur secured his first win from the brink of disaster. "Thank you to the fans who waited for us." [Goyang On-site Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

Nicolas Mazur (Latvia), head coach of the South Korean Nam Ja-nong-gu (CEO) team, finally secured his first victory. It was a hard-fought win achieved in just four games since he took charge of the national team.

On the 6th, South Korea defeated Japan 81-79 in the final sixth match of Group B in Round 1 of the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian Qualifiers held at Goyang Sono Arena. With this win, South Korea finished with a record of three wins and three losses, accumulating nine points, and secured second place in the group to advance to Round 2.

In Round 1 of the qualifiers, South Korea was placed in Group B alongside Japan, China, and Taiwan. Japan topped the group with four wins and two losses, earning ten points. South Korea finished second with three wins, three losses, and nine points. China also recorded three wins, three losses, and nine points but ranked third due to the head-to-head rule. China also secured a ticket to Round 2. Taiwan ended up in last place with two wins and four losses, accumulating eight points, and was eliminated in Round 1.

This match was crucial for South Korea; a loss would have resulted in elimination from the World Cup qualifiers in Round 1. However, despite the absence of Lee Hyun-jung (San Antonio Spurs), who could not join the national team due to NBA Summer League commitments, and Lee Jung-hyun (Goyang Sono), who sat out due to an ankle injury, South Korea managed to defeat Japan.

In this Round 1 Asian qualifier, the top three teams from each group advance to Round 2. Qualifying for Round 2 means reaching the FIBA Basketball World Cup finals next year in Qatar. A total of seven tickets are allocated for the finals across Asia and Oceania, excluding the host nation, Qatar.

This victory was also significant for Coach Mazur. It marked his first win since taking charge of the national team. South Korea had won consecutive matches against China during the interim coaching period in the first two rounds. However, after Mazur took over, the team lost all three initial games. In particular, during the match against Taiwan held at Goyang on the 3rd, South Korea led by as much as 19 points but could not maintain the lead and ultimately lost in overtime. The defeat was a major shock.

Nevertheless, South Korea ended with a smile in the final match. Coach Mazur achieved both his first win since taking charge and secured advancement to Round 2 against Japan.

After the match, Coach Mazur said, "I am grateful to all fans. This is my first win since taking charge of the national team. Despite losing all three games before this, I want to thank everyone for supporting and waiting for South Korea. I also want to express my gratitude to the players."

Coach Mazur once again credited the players. He stated, "I feel great because we won. Having hit rock bottom, I believed there was only one way forward: upward. The players showed determination to rise. All players were genuinely ready to compete in this game."

He continued, "Whether players played for one second, 40 minutes, or didn't play at all, they demonstrated bright energy and hustle plays on the court during training and in the game. It seems this match showcased their best energy among the last four games. That's why we were able to win."

Coach Mazur also praised Eddie Daniel (Seoul SK) for his tight defense and active movement. He said, "He showed great defense. Daniel is a player who fulfills such a role even in his club team. The passion and fighting spirit he displayed today were remarkable." He added, "He's a great guy."

At the center of this victory was Choi Jun-yong (Busan KCC). Whenever South Korea faced a crisis, Choi Jun-yong turned the tide. Although South Korea once trailed by double digits, they regained control of the game thanks to Choi's outstanding performance.

With South Korea trailing 40-51 in the middle of the third quarter, Choi Jun-yong hit a crucial three-pointer to shift momentum. He continued to lead the offense with jump shots, fast-break points, and free throws drawn by drawing fouls from opponents.

Trailing 40-51, South Korea narrowed the gap to 51-54 with just over a minute remaining in the third quarter. During this period, Choi Jun-yong accounted for nine of the team's 11 points. Later, South Korea closed the gap to one point thanks to Eddie Daniel's powerful dunk, and Choi Jun-yong scored the go-ahead basket to make it 55-54.

Coach Mazur highly praised Choi Jun-yong. He said, "Choi Jun-yong is a player full of fighting spirit. He shows energy and determination in every game. Most importantly, he loves basketball and winning. His passion is overflowing."

He continued, "I judge based only on what I see during training and games, but Choi Jun-yong is a player ready to give everything. Despite playing with a minor injury, he performed well. He has shown many good moments."

Coach Mazur also highly valued Choi Jun-yong's game management skills. He explained, "Choi Jun-yong is an experienced player who knows how to lead the flow of the game. He knows when to draw fouls and create passes at the right timing."

Coach Mazur is also planning various strategies for Choi Jun-yong. One of them involves managing his playing time. Coach Mazur said, "The coaching staff considers it most important to use Choi Jun-yong in the fourth quarter, when he is most needed. I want to thank him once again."

Besides Choi Jun-yong, Coach Mazur also highly praised the fighting spirit of veterans such as Jang Jae-seok (Busan KCC) and Lee Seung-hyun (Ulsan Hyundai Mobis).

Regarding the part where South Korea allowed Japan to catch up in the final quarter, he said, "In basketball, teams can score many points or concede them. Japan played well and scored many points in the fourth quarter. This is also part of the game."

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*This content was translated by AI.