*This content was translated by AI.
"I acknowledge the gap with Japan. But we also gained confidence that we can do it."
Kang I-seul, the ace of the South Korean Yeo Ja-nong-gu (CEO) team, stated that although they lost both exhibition matches against Japan, they gained significant takeaways from them.
The South Korean Yeo Ja-nong-gu (CEO) team, led by coach Park Soo-ho, suffered a narrow 77-78 comeback loss in the second away exhibition match against Japan at Ariake Arena in Tokyo on the 14th for the 2026 Women's Basketball National Team.
With this result, South Korea lost the second match following their defeat in the first match held the previous day.
However, the game content was vastly different from the day before. In the first match, South Korea suffered a decisive 18-point loss, 59-77, to Japan. Particularly, they fell behind significantly from the first quarter with an 8-25 score, losing control of the game early on.
In the second match, they created the opposite flow. South Korea took a commanding lead in the first quarter, 22-9, and maintained a double-digit lead thereafter, pushing Japan back.
However, they could not overcome the late-game hurdle. Allowing Japan's comeback from the third quarter, the score gap gradually narrowed. South Korea led 77-75 until just before the end of the game but conceded a heartbreaking three-point shot by Kokoro Tanaka with 0.2 seconds remaining, losing by one point.
On this day, Kang I-seul led the team's offense with a team-high 20 points. Lee Hae-ran (Samsung Life) added 17 points, and Choi Yi-sam (BNK) contributed 13 points.
After the game, Kang I-seul said through the Korea Basketball Association, "Although we unfortunately lost in the end, it was a match where we gained a lot in terms of content." She added, "Exhibition matches are part of the practice process. The most positive aspect is that despite poor game content and a large score gap in yesterday's match, we were able to regroup our mood and play well immediately the next day."
There was a reason for the completely different performance from the first match.
Kang I-seul explained, "We held meetings with the coaching staff regarding defensive aspects. We pointed out areas where we were confused, and corrections were made through clear feedback." She continued, "Since the coaching staff provided definite feedback, we approached the game with a sense of responsibility to implement it 100%."
Memories from the first match also helped. She said, "I remembered being dragged down until the end due to the atmosphere in the first quarter yesterday," and added, "This time, we talked among the players to start well from the first quarter, which led to a good flow from the beginning."
In fact, South Korea seized the initiative from the early stages of the game through active physical battles, defense, and fast attacks.
Kang I-seul said, "Team play that did not rely on one player worked well," adding, "We moved together without stopping and communicated in both offense and defense."
Notably, the Yeo Ja-nong-gu (CEO) team is currently missing key player Park Ji-soo due to an ankle injury. Another ace, Park Ji-hyun (LA Sparks), could not join this Japan trip due to her schedule with the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).
Kang I-seul explained, "With Ji-soo and Ji-hyun currently out, the team's height is on the smaller side. So we had to jump one step further, and today that part came alive well, allowing us to build an early score gap."
Of course, there were also significant regrets. They failed to maintain a double-digit lead, allowed a comeback in the second half, and ultimately missed victory just within reach.
Kang I-seul expressed her regret, saying, "While the opponent's shots went in well, we should have continued to maintain the score gap to prevent such situations." She added, "When defense wasn't working well, we should have focused more on defense and calmly executed offense, but our impatience caused us to lose the flow."
She further stated, "The fact that players were intimidated when falling behind in the early fourth quarter is something we must reflect on. It is a sight that should not appear again in future tournaments." However, she emphasized, "This is also part of the process. If we supplement our shortcomings through practice, better results will come in the future."
Despite two consecutive losses in Japan, there were definite takeaways. Kang I-seul said, "Honestly, looking at it from an objective perspective, we must acknowledge that there is a gap with Japan."
She continued, "Even without a fully assembled lineup of top players, we played a competitive match and created a flow where we could have won. Through this process, all the players gained confidence that they can do it. We also clearly understood what kind of play we need to make in the future."
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*This content was translated by AI.
