U-18 Men's Basketball Team Secures 28-Point Landslide Win Over Taiwan to Reach Asia Cup Semifinals and World Cup Ticket

The South Korean under-18 (U-18) men's basketball national team has advanced to the semifinals of the Asia Cup, securing a berth in next year's U-19 World Cup.

Led by head coach Shin Jong-seok, the U-18 national team decisively defeated Taiwan 107-79 in the quarterfinals of the 2026 International Basketball Federation (FIBA) U-18 Men's Asia Cup held at the Veer Savarkar Indoor Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, on the 21st (KST).

Having advanced straight to the quarterfinals as the top seed of Group D with three consecutive wins in the group stage, South Korea reached the tournament semifinals for the first time in four years and grabbed the World Cup ticket awarded to the top four teams.

South Korea completely dominated the flow of the game throughout the first half.

After taking a 24-18 lead in the first quarter, the national team forced numerous opponent turnovers in the second quarter to widen the gap to 51-34, stretching the lead to 17 points.

In the second half, South Korea overwhelmed Taiwan with timely three-pointers from Eom Ji-hoo and Yoon Ji-hoon, comfortably claiming a 28-point victory.

On this day, Eom Ji-hoo delivered a standout performance by scoring 31 points, including five three-pointers, while twin brothers Yoon Ji-hoon and Yoon Ji-won contributed 26 and 17 points respectively, combining for 43 points to lead the landslide win.

The national team will battle for a spot in the finals against the winner of the quarterfinal match between Australia and Iran.

(Photo: Capture from FIBA official website, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.