"It all fell apart because of Lee Hyun-jung... We pay our respects." Even Japan, which surrendered the gold medal, was shocked by this 'overwhelming class' [Aichi Nagoya AG]

*This content was translated by AI.

It was an overwhelming class that even left opponents in shock. Japanese media outlets and fans are praising Lee Hyun-jung's dominant performance that controlled the game.

Japanese outlet 'The Answer' reported on the 20th: "Japan's dream of winning gold in basketball has shattered. The archipelago is in turmoil due to the explosive performance of Korea's treasure, Lee Hyun-jung." It added: "The Korean ace, who led Nagasaki Velka in Japan's B.League last season to their first-ever championship, dismantled Japan at every critical moment, leaving Japanese fans with no choice but to express their respect."

The outlet further stated: "In the decisive second half, Lee Hyun-jung bared his teeth at Japan. After hitting a three-pointer that turned the tide in the third quarter, he buried another three-pointer from an angle where the rim was barely visible in the fourth quarter, exploding for 27 points." It noted: "Japanese fans were left speechless, saying things like 'Lee Hyun-jung is on a completely different level,' 'He's Japan's Rui Hachimura,' and 'This is pure NBA class. Why did this monster play in the B.League last season?'"

TBS News, part of Japan's public broadcasting network, also reported: "Although they initially matched Korea with a three-pointer by Atsuya Ogawa in the third quarter, they immediately conceded consecutive three-pointers from Korean ace Lee Hyun-jung and lost the lead. They were unable to stop him at all in the fourth quarter."

Korea's gold medal on this day was an incredible achievement achieved solely through skill, overcoming external troubles and extreme biased officiating. On the day of the final match, the Korean national team faced the absurd situation of having their shooting and tactical training completely canceled due to the tournament organizing committee's failure to provide official shuttle buses.

The on-court bias was beyond imagination. Despite Korean players suffering visible scratches on their arms from Japan's rough physical play, the referee never blew the whistle. Jang Jae-seok clearly had his hand fouled during a shot attempt under the basket but was instead called for a touch-out foul. Japanese center Tominari Gano committed blatant screen fouls throughout the game by moving while setting screens, yet the referees only called the first illegal screen in the fourth quarter, continuing with overt home-court calls.

However, they could not break the fighting spirit of the Taegeuk warriors. In the tightly contested second half tied at 28-28, ace Lee Hyun-jung took control of the game. After allowing a comeback from Japan's perimeter shooting in the middle of the third quarter, he immediately reversed the momentum with two lightning-fast consecutive three-pointers and sank all free throws. In the fourth quarter, facing a desperate situation as the shot clock was winding down, he made a spectacular perimeter shot cutting through the rim while having a defender in front of him. He then scored off a precious offensive rebound and drew a crucial offensive foul, extending the lead to 62-49 and completely seizing control of the match.

On this day, Lee Hyun-jung dominated the court with an incredible double-double: 27 points, 18 rebounds (including 4 offensive rebounds), 3 assists, and 2 steals. Meanwhile, Lee Jung-hyun orchestrated the offense with 14 points and 7 assists, while Lee Seung-hyun, Jang Jae-seok, and others contributed by willingly taking on tough tasks.

With the final buzzer, Lee Hyun-jung, who secured Korea's first gold medal in 12 years and fifth overall at the Asian Games, finally poured out the tears he had been holding back. Japan, which had to endure underhanded sabotage and biased officiating while aiming for its first gold on home soil, helplessly knelt before Lee Hyun-jung's otherworldly skills and Korea's basketball class in enemy territory.

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*This content was translated by AI.