"If this happens, I can't cheer for Japan." Even Japanese fans shook their heads over the 'bus no-show'... Surprisingly a plus for Korea: "Instead of training, we went for a walk and relaxed our nerves" [Aichi Nagoya AG]

*This content was translated by AI.

As the Korean Nam Ja-nong-gu (CEO) team defeated host nation Japan to claim the Asian Games title for the first time in 12 years, an absurd 'bus no-show' incident on the day of the final sparked controversy even among locals in Japan.

The Korean Nam Ja-nong-gu (CEO) team, led by coach Nicholas Mazulis (Latvia), defeated Japan 67-57 in the men's basketball final at the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, Japan, on the 20th during the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games to secure the gold medal.

This marks Korea's fifth Asian Games title overall and their first since the 2014 Incheon tournament, ending a 12-year drought. They previously won gold in 1970, 1982, 2002, and 2014.

In this tournament, Korea defeated Japan twice.

After crushing Japan 100-83 in the final Group A match on the 13th, they advanced through the tournament bracket to face the host nation again in the final, defeating them once more to complete a perfect championship run.

However, an unexpected variable occurred on the morning of the final.

Since the final was scheduled for the afternoon, Korea had planned to warm up with shooting drills at a separate training venue earlier that day.

The issue lay in transportation. The team's vehicle, expected to arrive at their accommodation around 10 a.m., failed to appear without any explanation.

Consequently, Korea was forced to cancel its scheduled training session. For a team facing a gold-medal-deciding final, this was certainly not something to take lightly.

The previous day also saw difficulties during transit.

Korea had to travel long distances for training, compounded by heavy traffic, which increased physical fatigue. Players, including captain Lee Seung-hyun, expressed dissatisfaction with the tournament's organization.

It was not only Korea that viewed this issue negatively.

Even among Japanese fans, there were reactions criticizing the host nation's operations.

Japanese media outlet Nikkan Sports reported on the responses of Japanese netizens upon learning about the Korean national team's 'bus no-show' ahead of the final between Korea and Japan.

One Japanese netizen responded, "The players are not at fault, but after seeing this situation, I simply cannot bring myself to cheer for Japan."

Additionally, Nikkan Sports noted that citing Korean reports, some Japanese fans expressed sentiments such as, "Even Japanese people are angry at the organizing committee's clumsy management," and "We feel sorry for the Korean players who couldn't train on the morning of the final."

In short, even Japanese fans shook their heads over the host nation's organizational issues.

However, this unexpected training cancellation actually brought an unforeseen positive effect for Korean players.

Instead of forcing themselves to find alternative training methods during the suddenly available time,

the players chose to take a walk or enjoy coffee breaks to rest.

With heightened tension ahead of the gold-medal-deciding match against Japan, the unexpected free time allowed the players to calm both their bodies and minds.

Nikkan Sports reported that "Korean players took walks or had coffee breaks during the time they couldn't train to refresh themselves."

It further explained that "players who had become increasingly sensitive ahead of the final were able to relax thanks to the sudden availability of free time."

In fact, Korea remained steady during the match.

Although the first half saw a tight contest with Japan, Korea gradually pulled away in the second half and ultimately secured victory 67-57 to claim the gold medal.

Team ace Lee Hyun-jung delivered an outstanding performance with 27 points and 18 rebounds, including an impressive five three-pointers. Lee Jung-hyun also contributed with 14 points and seven assists.

Japanese basketball specialist outlet Basketball King remarked after the match that Japan "could not stop Lee Hyun-jung."

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*This content was translated by AI.