Seoul: South Korea defeated its rival Japan 100-83 to win its group in the men's basketball tournament of the Asian Games in central Japan on Sunday. Guard Lee Jung-hyun led the South Korean offense with 25 points, while backup center Jang Jae-seok added 18 points and eight rebounds in the teams' final Group A game at Aichi International Arena in Nagoya. Lee also contributed significantly by going 5-of-8 from the three-point line and providing seven assists.

According to Yonhap News Agency, both teams had already secured spots in the quarterfinals with two consecutive wins, each defeating Saudi Arabia and Indonesia, and were competing for the top seed out of Group A. The tournament format includes three groups of four teams, with the top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-place teams, advancing to the quarterfinals.

The quarterfinal matches are scheduled for Wednesday at the same venue in Nagoya, followed by the semifinals on Friday. The bronze medal match and the final will take place next Sunday, a day after the opening ceremony.

South Korea's starting center, Lee Seoung-hyun, faced early challenges, picking up two fouls in the opening two minutes while defending Japan's 211-centimeter center, Alex Kirk. Kirk, an American-born player, scored Japan's initial eight points. Jang Jae-seok, coming off the bench for Lee, managed to contribute four points in the first quarter, helping South Korea take a 19-17 lead.

Japan faced discipline issues early in the second quarter, receiving three fouls within the first 45 seconds, including two on three-point attempts. South Korea capitalized by making all six free throws, extending their lead to 25-17. Although Japan mounted a comeback with six consecutive points midway through the quarter, South Korea maintained control throughout the game.