On Liberation Day, Korean men's basketball team suffered a 20-point loss against Japan.

On Liberation Day, South Korean men's basketball narrowly fell to a 20-point loss against Japan, ending in a disappointing 68-88 defeat. The match took place at the Tokyo Ariake Arena on the 15th, marking the first bilateral evaluation game between the two nations. This loss represents the largest point differential in South Korean basketball's history against Japan, surpassing the previous record of 17 points (58-75) from the 1962 Jakarta Asian Games.

The game, intended to assess the skills ahead of the 2026 World Cup and 2026 Asian Games in Aichi and Nagoya, drew significant attention due to its timing on Liberation Day. South Korea's absence of key players, including veteran Hyun-jung and rookie Jun-woo, due to NBA invitations and international commitments, left the team vulnerable.

Despite the absence of its best players, Japan called upon top-tier talents like Hachimura and Kawamura, further widening the gap in skill level. Korean players struggled with scoring early on, trailing 0-11, and failed to capitalize on scoring opportunities as Japan dominated defensively. Notably, Choi Hoi-kun's 18 points and 14 assists highlighted Japan's offensive strength.

The Japanese team's performance underscored the depth and skill present in their roster, despite the absence of some of their key players. Coach Nikolai Schmullius, in his first foreign-led appearance, faced his fourth consecutive defeat, signaling a challenging beginning for his coaching tenure. Notably, South Korea's women's team also suffered losses to Japan in recent evaluation games.