"Watch closely how Korean basketball is played." The gap acknowledged even by the opponent... Despite a 66-point crushing defeat, it was "an opportunity to learn"

*This content was translated by AI.

"Watch closely how Korea plays the game."

As the Korean Yeo Ja-nong-gu (CEO) team secured a decisive victory with a 66-point margin from their first match at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, the opposing Malaysian side also acknowledged the overwhelming gap in strength.

The Korean Yeo Ja-nong-gu (CEO) team, led by head coach Park Soo-ho, completely defeated Malaysia 106-40 in the opening Group C match of the women's basketball tournament at the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, Japan, on the 18th.

Korea will face Mongolia at 1 p.m. on the 21st and then play their final group stage match against Taiwan at 4 p.m. on the 22nd.

A total of 11 countries are participating in the women's basketball tournament this year. After the group stage, the top two teams from each group and the two third-place teams with the best records will advance to the quarterfinals.

Korea's goal is to reclaim the championship. Having won the gold medal at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games, Korea is aiming to return to the top of the Asian Games for the first time in 12 years. At the previous Hangzhou tournament, they secured a bronze medal.

The start was overwhelming. Against Malaysia, Korea scored an impressive 106 points, securing a decisive victory with a 66-point margin.

The opponent also acknowledged the gap between them and Korea. Malaysian media outlet The New Straits Times reported on the match against Korea with a headline meaning "Korea made Malaysia's players chase only shadows."

Malaysian guard Thong Yin also highly evaluated Korea's strength.

Thong Yin said, "We faced a team at the World Cup level," adding, "Korea recently finished the World Cup and showed excellent performance."

In the recently concluded 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup, Korea recorded one win and two losses in the group stage, advancing to the play-in tournament for the quarterfinals. Although they failed to reach the quarterfinals after losing to Germany, a powerhouse team, they demonstrated competitiveness by defeating Nigeria in their opening group match.

Malaysia viewed the crushing defeat against Korea not merely as a failure but as "an opportunity to learn."

Thong Yin revealed, "The coach told us to carefully observe how Korea plays, what strategies they use, and how they defend," adding, "We also tried our best to keep up with them."

He further added, "The coach instructed us to accept the challenge and learn from Korea."

Ultimately, although Malaysia suffered a crushing 66-point defeat, they directly felt the gap against Korea, which has experienced the world's top stage. Furthermore, they treated it as an opportunity to learn for the remainder of the tournament.

It was also a meaningful start for Korea.

The Lee Beon (CEO) team entered the tournament with 11 players, missing key roster members Park Ji-soo (Cheongju KB) and Park Ji-hyun (LA Sparks). Nevertheless, from the first match, multiple players scored evenly, demonstrating an offensive style that did not rely on specific individuals.

In the match against Malaysia, Lee So-hee (Busan BNK) led the offense with 21 points, including five three-pointers. Her teammate Choi Yi-saem also played a key role, scoring 19 points and grabbing seven rebounds, including three three-pointers.

A total of six players recorded double-digit scores, including Lee Hae-ran and Kang Yu-rim (both from Yongin Samsung Life), along with Jeong Ye-rim (Bucheon Hana Bank) and Heo Ye-eun (Cheongju KB).

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*This content was translated by AI.