Korea escapes 'group of death' at FIBA Asia Cup

Korea’s men’s basketball team escaped the “group of death” at the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup, advancing to a playoff for the quarterfinals, finishing second with two wins and one loss.

Korea's Lee Hyun-jung, right, in action during a friendly against Qatar at Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Arena in Anyang, Gyeonggi, on July 20. [YONHAP]

Korea’s men’s basketball team escaped the “group of death” at the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup, advancing to a playoff for the quarterfinals.

Led by head coach Ahn Jun-ho, Korea beat Lebanon 97-86 in their final Group A game Sunday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Lebanon finished second in the previous Asia Cup in 2022.

With the victory, Korea finished second in the group with two wins and one loss. They lost their opener to defending champions Australia 97-61, then beat Qatar 97-83. Australia topped the group with three straight wins, Lebanon finished third with a 1-2 record and Qatar placed last at 0-3, dropping out of the tournament.

The 16 participating countries are divided into four groups. Group winners advance directly to the quarterfinals, while the second- and third-place finishers play in a playoff round to reach the last eight. Australia advance straight to the quarterfinals, while Korea and Lebanon head to the playoffs. Korea face Group B’s third-place finisher, Guam, on Aug. 12, with the winner to take on Group C leader China for a spot in the quarterfinals.

Korea went into the Lebanon game without key players Yeo Jun-seok of Seattle University and Lee Jung-hyun of the Goyang Sono Skywalkers, both sidelined with knee injuries. But they dismantled the physically imposing Lebanese side with a blistering three-point barrage. Seven Korean players attempted 38 shots from beyond the arc and sank 22, a 57.9 percent success rate — higher than their two-point shooting at 46.2 percent or free throws at 53.1 percent.

Basketball players Lee Hyun-jung, left, and Yeo Jun-seok pose during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo at Jincheon National Training Center in Jincheon, North Chungcheong, on July 23. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Yu Ki-sang of LG led the way with 28 points, including eight 3-pointers, while ace Lee Hyun-jung of Nagasaki also scored 28 points with seven threes. Dedric Lawson, a U.S.-born forward who naturalized with Lebanon just before the tournament and was the 2023-24 Korean Basketball League MVP, was held to seven points and five rebounds.

“We kept our promise to the public and escaped the group of death,” Ahn said after the game. “Our trademark speed, pressure defense and outside shooting all came alive thanks to the unity of ‘One Team Korea.’ Even with Yeo and Lee out, the other 10 players more than filled the gap.”

Before the tournament, Ahn told his squad, “Survive and become legends,” adding, “We’re not legends yet. We didn’t come here just to get through the group stage. We’ll prepare thoroughly for Guam, give everything we have and repay our fans for their support. We’ll return home as legends.”

Korea last claimed the FIBA Asia Cup title in 1997, with eyes set on returning to the top. In the latest FIBA world rankings, Japan stands at No. 21, Korea at No. 53 and Qatar at No. 87. Despite their lower ranking, Qatar has raised their profile with the addition of former NBA guard Brandon Goodwin, 29, who did not play in the first game but scored 23 points in the second.

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 staff. BY PIH JU-YOUNG [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]