{
  "id": 8689106,
  "title": "(LEAD) (Asiad) S. Korea beats Japan for men's basketball gold",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/lead-asiad-s-korea-beats-japan-for-mens-basketball-gold",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-20T12:49:17.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yonhap News",
    "slug": "yonhap-news",
    "url": "https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260920005651320"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In a thrilling men's basketball gold medal match at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Sunday, South Korea emerged victorious over Japan with a score of 67-57. Forward Lee Hyun-jung played a pivotal role, scoring 13 points from 27 attempts and delivering 18 rebounds, leading the team in both categories. This triumph marked the end of a 12-year gold medal drought for South Korea in men's basketball. Earlier, South Korea had won the group stage match against Japan 100-83, showcasing their dominance throughout the tournament. In contrast to that high-scoring encounter, the final was a low-scoring affair, with both teams struggling to find the basket. South Korea built an 11-5 lead in the first quarter but struggled to maintain their momentum, falling short in the remaining minutes of the quarter. Despite Japan taking a 16-12 lead after the first quarter, South Korea's shooters stepped up in the second quarter, outscoring their opponents 16-12. The teams traded blows in the second quarter, with each team landing crucial shots to keep the score tied at 28-28 heading into the second half. South Korea gained a significant advantage in the third quarter, pulling away by eight points thanks to Lee Hyun-jung's impressive three-point shooting. By the final quarter, South Korea had established an 8-point lead, capitalizing on their improved field goal percentage in the paint. Japan managed to close the gap with a few offensive fouls and a late three-pointer from Atsuya Ogawa, but the South Koreans held their ground, finishing the game with a decisive 6-of-8 performance from beyond the arc in the final quarter. Lee Hyun-jung's relentless scoring and clutch free throws in the closing moments ensured that South Korea clinched the gold medal. This victory also marked a personal milestone for Lee, who became the second Asian Games gold medalist in his family after his mother Seong Jeong-a helped South Korea win the women's basketball gold in Beijing in 1990.",
  "summary": "NAGOYA, Japan, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea defeated the home team Japan 67-...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Hindustan Times - World News",
        "title": "North Korea fires 2 ballistic missiles into East Sea; Japan, South Korea monitor situation: Reports",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/north-korea-fires-2-ballistic-missiles-into-east-sea-japan-south",
        "published": "2026-09-20T10:03:48.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Yonhap News",
        "title": "(URGENT) S. Korea beats Japan for Asiad gold in men's basketball",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/urgent-s-korea-beats-japan-for-asiad-gold-in-mens-basketball",
        "published": "2026-09-20T12:31:11.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "S. Korea beats Japan for men's basketball gold",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/s-korea-beats-japan-for-mens-basketball-gold",
        "published": "2026-09-20T13:07:02.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Mainichi",
        "title": "Asian Games: Japan misses 1st men's basketball gold with S. Korea loss",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/asian-games-japan-misses-1st-mens-basketball-gold-with-s-korea-loss",
        "published": "2026-09-21T01:48:21.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}