'Decisive defeat on Liberation Day': Korean basketball suffers '20-point rout' against Japan with 'NBA players all out'... Mazur's team records 4th loss in 5 games

*This content was translated by AI.

The South Korean national basketball team suffered a decisive defeat in a Korea-Japan friendly match held in Tokyo on Liberation Day.

On the 15th, the Nam Ja-nong-gu (CEO) team lost to Japan by a score of 68-88, a 20-point margin, in the first game of the Korea-Japan evaluation series at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.

On this day, South Korea fielded a lineup missing many key players. Lee Hyun-jung and Choi Jun-yong did not join the Lee Beon (CEO) team roster to pursue opportunities in the National Basketball Association (NBA), while Song Gyo-chang and Ahn Young-joon were also absent. Furthermore, Lee Jung-hyun, who was not in full physical condition, was also ruled out, resulting in significant depletion of the team's strength.

In contrast, Japan fielded its strongest lineup. All core members, including NBA players Rui Hachimura and Yuki Kawamura, as well as naturalized player Josh Hawkins, took to the court.

The performances of Japan's key members were overwhelming. Hachimura led the offense with 22 points in 23 minutes and 40 seconds, while Kawamura directed the front line with 12 points and 6 assists in 17 minutes and 19 seconds. Under the basket, Hawkins recorded a double-double with 18 points and 14 rebounds, dominating South Korea's interior defense.

For South Korea, Lee Woo-seok scored 14 points including three 3-pointers, Kang Sung-wook added 12 points and 6 assists, and Yu Gi-sang contributed 11 points. Eddie Daniel also showed active play with 7 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals, but the team was outmatched in overall firepower, as Yoo Jun-seok managed only 6 points amid poor shooting performance.

South Korea held its own in the first quarter with a close score of 15-18, trailing by just three points.

However, the team collapsed rapidly in the second quarter. With offense stalled and unable to contain Hachimura, the point gap widened significantly, and South Korea ended the first half trailing 27-46 by 19 points.

The team failed to change momentum even in the third quarter. On the perimeter, they could not keep up with Kawamura's movements, and under the basket, they repeatedly surrendered points following Hawkins' offensive rebounds and put-backs.

In the fourth quarter, South Korea scored 22 points while holding Japan to 14, mounting a comeback attempt, but it was insufficient to close the gap created in the first half and third quarter.

As a result, South Korea has suffered its fourth loss in five games since coach Nicholas Mazur took charge.

South Korea is scheduled to face Japan again on the 16th for the second game of the series.

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*This content was translated by AI.