(LEAD) (Asiad) S. Korea wins women's basketball gold medal
NAGOYA, Japan, Sept. 26 (Yonhap) -- South Korea captured the women's basketball ...
In a thrilling final at the Nagoya, Japan, South Korea claimed the women's basketball gold at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Saturday, defeating Japan 75-70. Forward Lee Hae-ran was the standout performer, scoring 24 points and leading her team to the championship. This marks South Korea's first women's basketball gold since 2014, following their men's basketball gold win earlier in the Games.
It is also South Korea's first sweep of both men's and women's basketball titles at an Asian Games in a dozen years. The Koreans dominated the third quarter, leading by as many as 20 points before Japan mounted a late comeback. South Korea responded with 11 unanswered points, followed by a series of offensive boards resulting in easy shots.
Park So-hee's corner three extended the lead to 25-10 with 52 minutes left in the first quarter. With Japan's late push, the score narrowed to 27-15 before South Korea took control. Lee Hae-ran's three-pointer put South Korea ahead 35-18 at the 4:19 mark. Japan struggled to capitalize on poor shooting by South Korea in the second quarter, and Park So-hee's buzzer-beating three extended the lead to 42-23 at halftime.
South Korea answered Japan's push in the third quarter, building a 56-36 lead by the 4:29 mark. Despite Japan's late efforts, South Korea emerged victorious, sealing the win with 14 seconds remaining.
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