Japan also couldn't understand the defeat in the Korea-Japan match: "If you look only at the three-pointers and rebounds, Japan should have won"... Korean U-18 pulls off a dramatic comeback with sheer perseverance

*This content was translated by AI.

By the numbers alone, this was a game Japan should have won. But in the end, it was Korea that smiled. Korea displayed incredible resilience in the final moments of the match to secure a thrilling comeback victory against Japan.

The Korean under-18 (U-18) Nam Ja-nong-gu (CEO) team, led by coach Shin Jong-seok of Inheon High School, defeated Japan 67-64 in the third group stage match of the 2026 FIBA U-18 Asia Cup Group D on the 18th (Korea time) at Vir Savarkar Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.

With this result, Korea secured three consecutive wins in the group stage and clinched sole first place in Group D. At the same time, they also secured a direct ticket to the quarterfinals. Japan, which had won two straight games before losing to Korea, finished second in the group with two wins and one loss.

As surprising as the result was the game statistics. On this day, Korea attempted 17 three-pointers but made only two. Their success rate was a mere 11.8%. In contrast, Japan made 8 of their 19 three-point attempts, recording an impressive 42.1% success rate.

Japan also held a clear advantage in rebounds. While Korea grabbed 31 rebounds, Japan secured as many as 55. Particularly in offensive rebounds, Japan led significantly with 21 to 5.

But the final score was 67-64, a victory for Korea.

Japanese content platform 'Note' analyzed: "Japan's three-point success rate was 42.1%, while Korea's was 11.8%. In rebounds, Japan had 55 and Korea had 31." The platform added, "Normally, if you look only at these numbers, you would think Japan won."

It continued: "Japan grabbed 16 more offensive rebounds than Korea and scored 24 points on second-chance opportunities. Yet, Japan still lost. What exactly happened?" it questioned.

Ultimately, what held Japan back was turnovers. On this day, Japan committed as many as 21 turnovers. The media noted: "Japan's points conceded due to turnovers totaled 19. In the end, this completely erased the advantage they had previously built."

Furthermore, Korea's mental strength, refusing to give up until the very end, was another crucial factor that determined the outcome of the match.

Korea led 20-17 after the first quarter but fell behind significantly in the second quarter with an 8-20 run, ending the first half down by nine points at 28-37. However, the momentum shifted from the third quarter onward. Korea boosted its defensive intensity and outscored Japan 21 to 11 while Japan scored only 11 points, taking a 49-48 lead and reversing the game's direction.

There was a crisis. In the intense back-and-forth battle, Korea trailed 61-64 with just 1 minute and 21 seconds remaining on the clock. It seemed Japan was on the verge of victory.

But Korea did not retreat. They focused intensely on defense to prevent any additional scoring by Japan. With 57 seconds left, Eom Ji-hoo of Yangjeong High School made a jump shot to bring the score to 63-64, narrowing the gap to just one point.

On the ensuing Japanese possession, Eom Ji-hoo directly secured a steal, laying the foundation for the comeback. The panicked Japan player Alex McMillan committed a foul, and Yoon Ji-hun of Gyeongbok High School made free throws, allowing Korea to finally take the lead.

Japan failed to score on their final possession as well. Korea secured the rebound, drew another foul from the opponent, and Eom Ji-hoo sealed the dramatic victory over Japan with a free throw.

On this day, Yoon Ji-hun led all scorers with 27 points for Korea. Especially in crucial moments, he took responsibility for decisive free throws and fulfilled his role as the team's ace.

Yoon Ji-hun's twin brother, Yoon Ji-won of Gyeongbok High School, also contributed with 12 points and 8 rebounds. Yoon Ji-won is a promising player who received the Mirastar Award at the '2025 Futures Star Awards,' established last year by StarNews to promote Korean sports development and revitalize amateur athletics. Eom Ji-hoo, who made decisive plays in both offense and defense during the final moments of the fourth quarter, also scored 9 points.

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*This content was translated by AI.