Korean men's basketball breaks China losing streak with 80-76 win in FIBA World Cup qualifiers

Korea pulled off an 80-76 win over China in their opening game of the 2027 FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers in Beijing on Friday, starting their World Cup qualification journey with a strong performance.

The Korean men's national basketball team reacts at Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Arena in Anyang, Gyeonggi on Nov. 25. [NEWS1]

Korea pulled off an 80-76 win over China in their opening game of the 2027 FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers in Beijing on Friday, starting their World Cup qualification journey with a strong performance.

The Korean men's national team, led by interim head coach Chun Hee-chul, secured a victory in Group B, finishing the first quarter at 24-16, with a score of 47-34 at the end of the second and 61-52 at the end of the third, with a final score of 80-76.

Lee Hyun-jung scored the most points across both teams at 33, with Lee Jung-hyun and An Young-jun registering 13 points apiece.

Friday's win ended Korea's two-game losing streak against China, dating back to a group stage game at the 2022 Asia Cup and a quarterfinal at the Asia Cup in August this year.

The national team will go head-to-head against China again in Wonju, Gangwon, on Monday.

The Asian qualifiers serve as the first step toward reaching the 2027 FIBA World Cup in Qatar. Sixteen teams compete in four groups in the first round, with the top three teams from each group advancing to the second round.

Korea are in Group B with Japan, China and Chinese Taipei.

In the second round, 12 teams split into two groups. The top three teams from each group and the best fourth-placed team will earn spots in the World Cup.

“Our training period was short, but the players stayed focused and executed the offensive and defensive plans well, so we were able to play a good game,” Chun said after Friday's game. “I felt disappointed when we turned the ball over in the fourth quarter and conceded points, and we need to fix that before the second game.

Lee Hyun-jung praised his teammates for helping him perform well.

“Making nine 3-pointers is not something I can do alone,” Lee said. “My teammates freed me up with solid screens and found me whenever I got open. I also appreciate our coaching staff for putting together an effective offense in such a short time. We will get ready for the next home game.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY PARK LIN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]