Nagoya: South Korea overcame early shooting challenges to defeat Malaysia 106-40 in the opening match of the women's basketball tournament at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Japan.
According to Yonhap News Agency, guard Lee So-hee was the top scorer with 21 points and four steals, while forward Choi I-saem added 19 points and seven rebounds in South Korea's first Group C game at Aichi International Arena in Nagoya. Six players from South Korea managed to score in double figures.
South Korea's next games will be against Mongolia at 1 p.m. on Monday and then Chinese Taipei at 4 p.m. on Tuesday. All the basketball matches during the Asian Games are scheduled at Aichi International Arena.
The team, coached by Park Soo-ho, aims to surpass its bronze medal achievement from the 2023 Asiad. In 2018, a joint South Korea-North Korea team secured a silver medal, finishing behind China. South Korea last won gold in the women's basketball event in 2014 in Incheon.
In this tournament, South Korea is fielding 11 players, one less than the maximum, due to star center Park Ji-su's absence following an ankle injury. The national federation opted not to replace her. Additionally, the team is missing guard Park Ji-hyun, currently playing her first season with the Los Angeles Sparks in the Women's National Basketball Association.
Captain Kang Lee-seul, who sat out the game due to an Achilles injury, expressed her readiness to play against Mongolia. South Korea struggled initially, failing to make a field goal in the first four minutes and missing nine attempts before Heo Ye-eun scored a layup.
In a strategic move, Coach Park substituted the entire starting lineup, which led to forward Choi I-saem's pivotal three-pointer, putting South Korea ahead 9-8. From that point, South Korea maintained its lead, with Hong Yu-sun's steal and layup contributing to a 16-2 run that closed the first quarter at 22-10.
Employing a full-court press, South Korea amassed seven steals in the opening quarter. The team found its shooting rhythm in the second quarter, making 12 of its first 15 field goal attempts, including a perfect 6-of-6 from beyond the arc, extending the lead to 52-20. South Korea ended the first half leading 59-22.
The third quarter saw South Korea initiate a 15-3 run, widening the gap to a 74-25 lead midway through. Lee So-hee's performance in the final quarter, scoring eight points in the first four minutes, helped South Korea cross the 100-point threshold with Jeong Hyun's three-pointer at 4:20 remaining in the game.