'Lee Hae-ran's 20 points, Kang I-seul's three 3-pointers' Women's basketball team easily defeats Mongolia and secures quarterfinal berth early [Aichi Nagoya AG]

*This content was translated by AI.

The Korean Yeo Ja-nong-gu (CEO) team defeated Mongolia to secure an early spot in the quarterfinals.

Under head coach Park Soo-ho, the Lee Kkeu-neun (CEO) team achieved a decisive 88-61 victory over Mongolia in the second group stage match of Group C at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games held on the 21st at the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, Japan.

Following their overwhelming win against Malaysia in the first round (106-40), South Korea secured two consecutive victories (four points) and clinched a quarterfinal berth regardless of the outcome of their match against Taiwan on the 22nd.

Despite the absence of Park Ji-hyun (WNBA) due to non-participation and Park Ji-soo's injury withdrawal, the Hyeon Jae (CEO) team registered only 11 players in its roster but filled the gaps with a solid organizational structure.

Lee Hae-ran delivered an outstanding performance with 20 points and six rebounds, while Lee So-hee contributed 19 points. Kang I-seul, returning from injury, played just 16 minutes and scored 15 points, including three successful 3-pointers. Heo Ye-eun orchestrated the offense with eight assists, and all players on the court delivered balanced performances.

South Korea dominated the game from the first quarter with aggressive defensive pressure and effective perimeter shooting. In the early stages of the match, they held Mongolia scoreless for approximately three minutes and 30 seconds while scoring 12 consecutive points. Kang I-seul scored 10 points in the first quarter alone, giving South Korea an early lead of 28-9. By the second quarter, they aggressively targeted the opponent's interior defense, extending their lead to 51-19 and a 32-point margin at halftime.

In the third quarter, South Korea faced some defensive instability as they struggled to control Mongolia's perimeter shooting but quickly regained offensive focus to halt the opponent's comeback. Maintaining a double-digit point lead consistently, South Korea comfortably concluded the match with a 27-point victory.

Having steadily collected Asian Games medals since the 2010 Guangzhou tournament, South Korea continued its strong start in the early stages of this competition despite setbacks from player injuries, signaling optimism for their medal hunt.

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*This content was translated by AI.