South Korea's first victory! 'Ace who explodes late even if he scores late' Lee Hyun-jung erupts with a team-high 23 points... Men's basketball, Saudi Arabia subdued

*This content was translated by AI.

The South Korean Nam Ja-nong-gu (CEO) team, aiming for its first Asian Games gold medal in 12 years, announced a pleasant start.

Led by coach Nicholas Mazulis, the South Korean Nam Ja-nong-gu (CEO) team defeated Saudi Arabia 82-66 in the Group A opener of the men's basketball tournament at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games held on the 10th at the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, Japan.

South Korea is aiming for its first gold medal since the 2014 Incheon Asian Games. In this tournament, South Korea was drawn into Group A with Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, and Japan. Starting with today's match against Saudi Arabia, they will face Indonesia at 4 p.m. on the 11th, and then host nation and "arch-rival" Japan at 7 p.m. on the 13th.

Twelve teams are participating in the men's basketball tournament at the Asian Games. The teams are divided into three groups of four for the group stage, after which the top two teams from each group and the two third-place teams with the best records advance to the quarterfinals.

Although the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games officially opens on the 19th, men's basketball began its schedule earlier on the 10th. With South Korea defeating Saudi Arabia, the Korean delegation secured its first victory at this tournament.

By securing a win in their opening match, South Korea also alleviated pressure for upcoming fixtures.

Ace Lee Hyun-jung led South Korea to victory with a team-high 23 points. In particular, although Lee Hyun-jung scored his first points somewhat late in the final moments of the second quarter, he quickly regained his offensive rhythm. Lee Woo-seok also recorded 18 points, and "Captain" Lee Seung-hyun added 13 points to bolster the team's effort.

The start was promising. In the early part of the first quarter, South Korea took an early lead 12-8, led by Lee Seung-hyun's accurate mid-range shot. Lee Yu-sang then hit a three-pointer from outside, extending the gap to 15-8.

Saudi Arabia did not yield easily. After committing fouls during Saudi Arabia's three-point attempts, South Korea conceded four points at once. Saudi Arabia completed a four-point play and closed the gap to 15-14.

However, South Korea immediately counterattacked. Yeo Jun-seok scored inside to regain momentum. Although Saudi Arabia tied the game at 17-17 with a three-pointer, Yeo Jun-seok made his shot despite being fouled by an opponent, earning a successful foul and halting Saudi Arabia's comeback. South Korea finished the first quarter leading 24-17.

The game intensified in the second quarter. Lee Yu-sang hit another three-pointer to extend the lead to 27-18. Lee Seung-hyun also drove the offense with consecutive accurate mid-range jumpers.

With a double-digit lead, South Korea also strengthened its defense. Near the end of the second quarter, Lee Hyun-jung blocked an opponent's attack, and Byun Jun-hyung followed up with a fast-break score. The gap widened to 35-21.

In the final moments of the first half, Lee Hyun-jung, who had not scored until then, came alive. With about one minute remaining in the second quarter, after scoring his first points of the day, he immediately added more points. South Korea finished the first half leading 41-28 by a margin of 13 points.

However, an unexpected variable occurred in the third quarter. Yeo Jun-seok suddenly complained of pain while attempting a basket inside. He then limped off to the bench. Even on the bench, Yeo Jun-seok made gestures suggesting a sprained ankle, showing signs of discomfort.

After Yeo Jun-seok left, the game atmosphere changed strangely. South Korea allowed consecutive scores from Saudi Arabia and was chased down to a single-digit deficit at 43-35.

In a crisis, Lee Jeong-hyun emerged as the savior. Lee Jeong-hyun hit a valuable three-pointer in the middle of the third quarter to halt Saudi Arabia's momentum. Lee Woo-seok also provided support with outside shots, and Lee Hyun-jung drained his first three-pointer of the day with 3 minutes and 46 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

The score quickly widened to 58-40. As the gap grew again, Saudi Arabia's offense began to falter sharply. Appearing impatient, their shooting accuracy dropped, and shots missed the rim entirely, further reducing their offensive focus.

By the end of the third quarter, South Korea had pulled ahead by a staggering 27 points, leading 74-47, effectively securing the victory. With room to spare, South Korea substituted in main players such as Moon Jeong-hyun and Moon Yu-hyun in the fourth quarter to manage their stamina.

Although Saudi Arabia launched a final comeback attempt, South Korea rarely let go of the momentum. In the middle of the fourth quarter, Lee Hyun-jung made a basket inside despite being fouled by an opponent and added free throws to complete a three-point play. The score widened to 77-57, and the outcome of the game had essentially tilted in South Korea's favor.

South Korea maintained its lead without major crises thereafter. They managed the remaining time steadily, capping off their first Asian Games match with a victory.

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*This content was translated by AI.