Men's Basketball on Brink of First Title in 12 Years, Faces Japan in Final Tomorrow

[Anchor]

The men's national basketball team defeated Iran, propelled by Lee Hyun-jung's stellar performance of 26 points, to advance to the Asian Games final. If they defeat Japan tomorrow (September 20), they will claim the Asian championship for the first time in 12 years.

Reporting from Nagoya, here is Hong Seok-jun.

[Reporter]

Against an Iranian squad boasting towering players, the national team seized the early momentum from the perimeter.

Moving with strong organization, they continuously created scoring opportunities.

After Lee Jeong-hyeon opened the scoring, Lee Hyun-jung pierced the net with a quick-release shot, followed by consecutive step-back jumpers from Lee Woo-seok. All of the team's first 15 points came from three-pointers.

Although the opponents fought back with dunks, South Korea maintained control of the flow.

Lee Hyun-jung followed up a determined tip-in with a sharp pass to set up Lee Woo-seok for a basket in the paint, leading a 12-point lead at halftime.

In the second half, our players' shooting touch grew even hotter.

Choi Jun-yong also hit a three-pointer, while Lee Jeong-hyeon energized the arena with precise assists and accurate three-point shots.

Late in the third quarter, Lee Hyun-jung sealed the victory by completing a four-point play with a three-pointer and a subsequent free throw.

Lee Hyun-jung recorded a game-high 26 points, including seven three-pointers, along with 14 rebounds, while Lee Woo-seok added 19 points to support the effort.

While the national team sank 14 three-pointers, Iran managed just 2 makes out of 23 attempts from beyond the arc.

Advancing to the final with a dominant 26-point victory, South Korea also shook off the disappointment of six consecutive losses and back-to-back eliminations by Iran in the previous two tournaments.

[Voice: Lee Woo-seok / Men's National Basketball Team]
"I really don't want to do anything I would regret. Because of that, I will do my best for this final match, achieve our goal, and return to South Korea."

Now, just one step remains.

The national team will face Japan, which defeated China, in the grand final tomorrow.

(Video by Yang Doo-won | Video Editing by Lee Sang-min)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.