Last month, the gap was two points → "Showed a clear difference in level to Korea," Japanese media cheer... Led by Hachimura, 20-point victory

*This content was translated by AI.

Just a month ago, the men's basketball match between South Korea and Japan was closely contested, but the outcome has now widened significantly. In Japan, evaluations even emerged that NBA star Rui Hachimura demonstrated a "difference in level" against South Korea.

The South Korean Nam Ja-nong-gu (CEO) team, led by coach Nicolas Mazur (Latvia), lost 68-88 to Japan in the first leg of an away friendly match held on the 15th at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.

Although the Korea-Japan match held on Liberation Day drew considerable attention, South Korea struggled from the start by surrendering the lead and ultimately suffered a heavy defeat with a 20-point margin.

The result was completely different from last month's matchup. In July, South Korea won 81-79 against Japan in a home game held in Goyang. With this victory, South Korea finished second in Group B of the first round of the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian qualifiers with three wins and three losses, accumulating nine points, and advanced to the second round.

At that time, the match remained undecided until the very end. However, in this rematch just one month later, Japan secured a decisive 20-point victory.

Of course, South Korea's lineup was not at full strength. KBL top guard Lee Jung-hyun (Goyang Sono) was not in perfect physical condition, and "national team ace" Lee Hyun-jung could not join the away trip.

Lee Hyun-jung is challenging for a spot in major leagues after participating in the NBA Summer League and attending mini-camps with the New Orleans Pelicans and Boston Celtics FC. For this reason, he could not accompany the Japan trip. Forward Ahn Young-jun (Seoul SK) was also absent due to injury.

In contrast, Japan welcomed a powerful new supporter. Rui Hachimura, who plays in the NBA, returned to the Japanese national team for the first time in about two years since the 2024 Paris Olympics. Hachimura scored a game-high 22 points on this day, troubling South Korea's defense.

Japanese local media also focused on the completely changed game dynamics. The Japanese media outlet "The Answer" stated after the match, "Hachimura scored 22 points," and evaluated that he "showed a difference in level in his first national team appearance in two years."

It further reported, "Japan achieved a decisive 20-point victory over South Korea," adding that "13,613 spectators who visited Ariake Arena were ecstatic."

Hachimura led Japan's offense from the start of the game. The Answer explained, "Hachimura made his presence felt just 15 seconds into the match. He scored the first points with his signature mid-range shot," and added, "24 seconds later, he received a pass from Yuki Kawamura and successfully made a three-point shot."

It continued, "With 8 minutes and 8 seconds remaining in the first quarter, he hit his second three-pointer. In less than two minutes after the game began, he quickly scored eight points," emphasizing his early impact.

Hachimura's momentum did not stop. The media reported, "Whenever Hachimura touched the ball, the arena stirred," and noted that he "scored 18 points in the first half alone."

In a post-game court interview, Hachimura shared his thoughts: "It was truly wonderful. It feels like it has been about eight years since I last played in Japan. I am happy to play again in front of you all."

He continued, "I have now entered the realm of veterans. I believe it is my responsibility to teach younger players and make Japanese basketball even stronger. I am playing with that sense of responsibility in mind," emphasizing his commitment.

Another Japanese basketball specialty media outlet, "Basket Count," also highly praised Japan's victory. Basket Count reported, "Hachimura scored a game-high 22 points," and added that "Japan created a difference through individual skills and secured a decisive 20-point win over South Korea."

South Korea and Japan will play the second leg of their friendly match at the same venue on the 16th. For South Korea, which suffered a 20-point defeat in the first game, there is an immediate opportunity for revenge.

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*This content was translated by AI.