"Korea lost even without Park Ji-soo and Park Ji-hyun" — The reason China was even more furious... "Don't make excuses; you lost because your skills were lacking"

*This content was translated by AI.

Sharp criticism poured out from local Chinese media toward the Chinese Yeo Ja-nong-gu (CEO) team that lost to Korea.

The Korean Yeo Ja-nong-gu (CEO) team, led by coach Park Soo-ho, defeated China 85-80 in the women's basketball semi-final of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games held on the 25th at the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, Japan.

Korea advanced to the Asian Games final for the first time since the 2014 Incheon tournament, marking a 12-year gap.

China is a powerhouse representing women's basketball in Asia. However, Korea overcame China's formidable defense with its fast-paced style, fiery play, and clutch three-pointers that exploded at critical moments.

This victory marks Korea's first win over China since the 2020 Tokyo Olympics women's basketball preliminary round held in 2019 — a span of seven years.

The shock was equally profound within China.

China's Sina.com reported that Jiaohuanwei, a local basketball media outlet, launched severe criticism regarding this defeat.

Jiaohuanwei stated, "We must not emphasize the absence of our key players," adding, "Korea also did not have two core players: Park Ji-hyun (Los Angeles Sparks) and Park Ji-soo (Cheongju KB)."

Korea missed both aces, Park Ji-hyun and Park Ji-soo, in this tournament. Park Ji-hyun could not join the Lee Beon (CEO) team due to scheduling conflicts with her WNBA club, the Los Angeles Sparks, while Park Ji-soo focused on injury rehabilitation and thus did not participate.

Although China also missed key resources such as Han Xu and Li Weiru, Jiaohuanwei argued that Korea's significant roster losses meant they could not use this as an excuse for their defeat.

Jiaohuanwei emphasized, "The importance of Park Ji-hyun and Park Ji-soo to Korean women's basketball is no less than the role Han Xu and Li Weiru play in China."

It then directly stated, "If your skills are lacking, that is simply the case."

China had '223cm monster center' Zhang Ziyu. Zhang recorded 22 points and 7 rebounds, displaying overwhelming dominance inside, but China could not control Korea's fast-paced basketball by relying solely on one player's height.

Especially evident was the stark difference from beyond the arc. China attempted 13 three-pointers but failed to make any.

In contrast, despite early struggles with their outside shooting, Korea persisted with their game plan throughout. In the first half, they made only 3 of 21 three-point attempts, but in the second half, they converted 9 of 21.

Especially in the fourth quarter at critical moments, consecutive three-pointers sealed a dramatic comeback victory.

Jiaohuanwei evaluated, "Korea knew exactly how to win: by making their three-point shots."

There was also a significant difference in turnovers. China committed as many as 18 turnovers, while Korea limited theirs to just six.

Jiaohuanwei pointed out, "China had 18 turnovers; Korea had only six. For three-pointers, China made 0 of 13 attempts, while Korea made 12 of 42. With such statistics, winning is difficult."

It further stressed that Zhang Ziyu's individual performance alone was insufficient.

Jiaohuanwei said, "Currently, Zhang Ziyu clearly serves as the tactical centerpiece," but added, "She also has clear weaknesses. I will not elaborate on those points at length."

It continued, "What is certain is that relying solely on Zhang Ziyu cannot secure a win in high-level competition. Other players must step up."

However, it gave high praise to Korea's game management.

Jiaohuanwei admitted, "In fact, this match proceeded within Korea's rhythm from the very beginning."

It further analyzed, "On defense, China was forced to follow Korea players' fluid movements and fakes. The only difference was that Korea's three-pointers did not fall in the first half."

In reality, Korean players' performances were dazzling. Lee So-hee (Busan BNK) led the victory with 23 points, including five three-pointers. Lee Hae-ran (Yongin Samsung Life) contributed 22 points and six rebounds. Heo Ye-eun (Cheongju KB) scored nine points, and Jin An (Bucheon Hana Bank) recorded eight points.

Team captain Kang Yi-seul also showcased the ace's presence at the most crucial moments. Kang scored 16 points, including two three-pointers. Her performance in the fourth quarter was particularly outstanding. Despite missing all eight of her three-point attempts through the first three quarters, she sank consecutive outside shots at the most critical juncture, igniting Korea's dramatic comeback.

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*This content was translated by AI.