Lee Hyun-jung recorded 26 points and 14 rebounds in the Asian Games semifinal against Iran.
The South Korean men’s national basketball team defeated Iran 77-51 at Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, Japan, on September 18 and advanced to the final.
This victory was created not only by one player’s scoring performance but also by the gap in outside shooting and defense.
3-Line Summary
1. Lee Hyun-jung: 26 points and 14 rebounds against Iran
2. South Korea advanced to the final with a 77-51 victory
3. The gap in outside shooting decided the game
Seven 3-Pointers and a 4-Point Play in the 3rd Quarter
South Korea defeated Iran by 26 points in the semifinal on the 18th. Lee Hyun-jung scored a game-high 26 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. Yonhap News reported that Lee Hyun-jung made seven 3-pointers.
The moment when the game shifted significantly came in the 3rd quarter. South Korea widened the gap with Lee Hyun-jung’s long-range 3-pointer, and with 34.8 seconds remaining in the quarter, made it 61-37 with a 4-point play combining an outside shot and an additional free throw. It was a play that reduced the time Iran had to mount a comeback.
After the game, Lee Hyun-jung discussed the losing streak against Iran, saying, “I wasn’t there then.” However, he explained that his teammates’ battles in the paint and fast-transition offense led to his rebounds and outside opportunities. His individual statistics were outstanding, but the structure of the victory must be viewed within the team’s offensive execution.
South Korea’s 14 Outside Shots to Iran’s 2
The clearest number in the game was the teams’ 3-point shooting. South Korea attempted 33 and made 14, while Iran made only 2 of 23 attempts. South Korea made more 3-pointers than its 12 made 2-pointers.
The 1st quarter was a low-scoring, tightly contested 12-8 period, but South Korea led the 2nd quarter 24-16 and finished the first half ahead 36-24. It then took the 3rd quarter 25-13 to widen the gap. Lee Woo-seok’s 19 points and Lee Jung-hyun’s 11 points were also important support produced while Iran’s defense focused on Lee Hyun-jung.
Before this game, South Korea had lost six straight games to Iran since its victory in the 2014 Asian Games final in Incheon. This victory ended that run, and the men’s national basketball team reached the Asian Games final for the first time in 12 years since 2014. The team has already secured a silver medal, while whether it wins gold will be decided by the final result.
The Deep 3 Is an Option That Disrupts the Defense, Not an Outcome
Sports Chosun analyzed Lee Hyun-jung’s extremely long-range 3-pointer, commonly called a deep 3, as a tactical option that puts pressure on the defense of the opponent in the final. The explanation was that if defenders recognize that he can shoot from beyond the 3-point line, they must step farther outside, potentially widening the space in the paint and midrange.
This was the outlet’s tactical analysis, not a result showing that the same effect actually occurred in the final. However, the outside-shooting success and rebounding production confirmed against Iran show that it was difficult to limit South Korea’s offense by defending only Lee Hyun-jung. The key to the final is not Lee Hyun-jung’s scoring itself, but how efficiently South Korea can once again capitalize on the outside opportunities it creates.
References
Tags #LeeHyunJung #SouthKoreaMensBasketball #AsianGames #AichiNagoyaAsianGames #KoreaIranBasketball #LeeHyunJung26Points #LeeHyunJung14Rebounds #MensBasketballFinal #Basketball3Pointers #SixGameLosingStreakAgainstIran #AichiInternationalArena #LeeWooSeok #LeeJungHyun