"We never focused on 'specific players' from the start" — The secret behind the women's basketball team defeating China and Japan despite the absence of Park Ji-soo and Park Ji-hyun [Nagoya]

*This content was translated by AI.

The South Korean Yeo Ja-nong-gu (CEO) team has claimed the top spot in women's basketball at the 2026 Aichi·Nagoya (Japan) Asian Games. After defeating China and then Japan, they rose to the highest podium of the Asian Games for the first time in 12 years. This achievement is especially meaningful given the absence of two key players, Park Ji-soo (KB) and Park Ji-hyun (LA Sparks). Head coach Park Soo-ho and captain Kang Yi-seul expressed regret over their absence but emphasized the significance of winning the gold medal as a unified "one team."

On the 26th, the Yeo Ja-nong-gu (CEO) team defeated host nation Japan 75-70 in the final held at Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, Japan. This marks the first time since the 2014 Incheon Games that women's basketball has won gold at the Asian Games. It is also the first gold medal for South Korea in an Asian Games held abroad since the 1994 Hiroshima Games — a remarkable achievement after 32 years.

Earlier, in the semifinals, they defeated China, which relied heavily on center Zhang Ziqi, who stands at an impressive 223 cm, boosting their momentum. In the final, they faced Japan, which enjoyed overwhelming support from home fans. Given that men's basketball also concluded with a Korea-Japan final where South Korea claimed victory, Japan's women's team was naturally eager for revenge.

However, South Korea dominated from the start of the match and seized control. At one point, they built a lead as large as 20 points. While South Korea excelled both inside and outside, Japan struggled with poor shooting accuracy and could not change the momentum. Although the path to gold seemed smooth, the game's flow shifted dramatically in the second half, allowing Japan to narrow the gap to just two points late in the match. With the atmosphere of the venue adding pressure, South Korea could have easily lost its lead. Yet, through calm performances by Kang Yi-seul and Lee Hae-ran, they once again raised the Taegeukgi at the highest point of this arena.

The significance of this victory lies in the fact that it was achieved despite the absence of two key players: Park Ji-soo due to injury and Park Ji-hyun due to her club team's schedule. Notably, even after confirming Park Ji-soo's exclusion from the roster, head coach Park Soo-ho chose not to replace her with another player but instead competed with only 11 players. Rising to the top in a tournament where there were significant concerns about team strength underscores the magnitude of this achievement.

When asked about the absence of Park Ji-soo and Park Ji-hyun, head coach Park Soo-ho stated, "From the moment I took charge of the national team, we never trained focusing on specific players. Games are not played like that either." He added, "Of course, having all players would have been much more helpful, but given the situation, there was no other option. We prepared for both practice games and official matches with the mindset that if even one of the 12th players could not play, we had to adapt accordingly." By avoiding reliance on specific players from the beginning and preparing for a style of basketball where all players work together seamlessly, they were able to overcome potential weaknesses and reach the pinnacle of the Asian Games.

Captain Kang Yi-seul also described Park Ji-soo and Park Ji-hyun as "the two players who played the most critical roles in the national team," but added, "The void left by them was filled by all other players, which actually strengthened our teamwork. This directly demonstrated that basketball is a team sport — it was the biggest factor leading to our victory." She continued, "I believed that one or two players could not fill the gap left by (Park) Ji-soo or (Park) Ji-hyun. Therefore, I encouraged all players to compete with pride and responsibility as national representatives. It was especially impressive how young players stepped up with confidence. Players like Lee Hae-ran and Lee So-hee performed exceptionally well. Even in Jin-an's absence, she held her ground effectively at the basket. I want to thank every player for their contributions."

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*This content was translated by AI.