Is it just Lee Hyun-jung? Japan also singled out "Yoo Gi-sang's seven 3-pointers"... Indonesia called the second-half onslaught by Korea a "nightmare"

*This content was translated by AI.

The Korean Nam Ja-nong-gu (CEO) team, aiming for its first Asian Games gold medal in 12 years, is showcasing formidable firepower. Even 'eternal rival' Japan has taken note of Korea's offensive strength.

Led by coach Nicholas Mazulis, Korea decisively defeated Indonesia 102-48 in the second group-stage match of the men's basketball A Group at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games held on the 11th at the Aichi International Arena in Aichi, Japan. It was a stunning victory by a margin of 54 points.

Especially fierce was Korea's second-half offense. After leading 39-30 at halftime, Korea scored 31 points in the third quarter alone, crushing Indonesia's will to chase. In the fourth quarter, they maintained their offensive pressure and added another 32 points.

The score in the second half alone was a staggering 63-18. Korea's ace Lee Hyun-jung took over the game's momentum almost instantly by scoring 10 points on his own within just two minutes after the start of the third quarter.

However, Lee Hyun-jung was not the sole center of the offense. Yoo Gi-sang also unleashed fire from beyond the arc, hitting seven 3-pointers to score 21 points and lead Korea to a decisive victory.

Japanese media did not miss Yoo Gi-sang's explosive long-range shooting either.

The Japanese basketball specialty outlet Basketball King reported on Korea's victory over Indonesia while highlighting the performances of both Lee Hyun-jung and Yoo Gi-sang side by side. The outlet stated, "Lee Hyun-jung played brilliantly with 24 points and 10 rebounds."

Regarding Yoo Gi-sang, it also noted, "He made seven 3-pointers and recorded 21 points."

It particularly explained the game's flow by stating that Korea's offense exploded as Lee Hyun-jung's long-range shots were followed by Yoo Gi-sang's consecutive 3-pointers in the second half.

Yoo Gi-sang has already established himself as a top-tier shooter in the KBL. He led his team, Changwon LG, to victory in the championship finals of the 2024-2025 season and also appeared in 50 regular-season games last season, averaging 12.4 points per game. He averaged 2.6 made 3-pointers per game with a success rate of 38.6%. He is also playing as a key perimeter option for the Korean national team.

The reaction from Indonesia, which faced Korea directly, was even more intense.

An Indonesian media outlet described the second half, where Lee Hyun-jung and Yoo Gi-sang's firepower stood out, as "the last two quarters became a nightmare."

Another Indonesian media outlet, Bola.com, also explained that "the game flow changed drastically after halftime," adding that "Indonesia struggled to find its offensive rhythm while Korea grew increasingly comfortable in the game."

Korea now faces the most crucial match of the group stage. Led by coach Mazulis, Korea will play against host nation Japan in the third A Group match of the men's basketball Asian Games at 7 p.m. on the 13th at the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, Japan.

This is effectively a battle to decide first place in the group. Korea has recorded two consecutive victories by defeating Saudi Arabia and Indonesia in succession. Japan also defeated Indonesia and Saudi Arabia in order. The winner of this head-to-head match between the two teams, both with two wins, will advance to the quarterfinals as the top team in Group A.

Twelve teams are participating in this year's Asian Games men's basketball tournament. After playing a group stage divided into three groups of four teams each, the top two teams from each group and the two best third-place teams will advance to the quarterfinal tournament.

For Korea, aiming for its first gold medal since the 2014 Incheon Asian Games, the match against Japan is a critical test before the official championship competition begins. If they win and secure first place in the group, they can expect a more favorable bracket in the tournament phase.

Japan also views the match against Korea as a crucial hurdle. Japanese media Sports Navi reported that "the match against Korea is the biggest challenge of the group stage."

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*This content was translated by AI.