(Asiad) Women's basketball coach says team in good shape despite missing stars

NAGOYA, Japan, Sept. 18 (Yonhap) -- South Korean women's national basketball coach Park Soo-ho declared his team well-prepared for the Asian Games in Japan, despite the absence of two key players. Coach Park made this statement following South Korea's impressive 106-40 victory over Malaysia in Group C play at the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya.

Park fielded an 11-player squad, one short of the maximum allowable, with center Park Ji-su unable to participate due to an ankle injury. The national team had hoped she would recover in time, but when this did not occur, the Korea Basketball Association decided against replacing her. Coach Park also announced that star player Park Ji-hyun, who plays for the Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA, opted not to join the team due to her commitments.

Despite the loss of these stars, Coach Park expressed confidence in his team, stating that they have been playing enough games and practicing sufficiently in their absence. He acknowledged that they could have made a significant impact, but emphasized their preparedness and the team's ability to compensate for the missing players.

South Korea suffered a sluggish start, missing their first nine field goal attempts, and initially trailing Malaysia 8-6. However, the tide turned when Choi I-saem scored a crucial three-pointer and Hong Yu-sun executed a steal and layup to secure the victory. Coach Park noted that his players were still recovering from jetlag following their recent return from the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup in Germany, a factor that contributed to their sluggish start. The coach attributed the team's improvement to their focus on regaining form after the tournament.