Korea's players head to a timeout in the second exhibition game against Japan at Ariake Arena in Tokyo on Aug. 16. Korea lost 95-66.JAPAN BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Korea's men's basketball team lost to Japan by 29 points in Tokyo on Sunday, one day after a 20-point defeat at the same arena had already set the record for the heaviest loss in the rivalry's history.
Japan won 95-66 at Ariake Arena in the second of two exhibition games. It had taken the first 88-68 on Saturday, Liberation Day in Korea. The 20-point margin broke a record that had stood for 64 years. It lasted a day.
Korea's previous heaviest loss to Japan was by 17 points, 75-58 at the 1962 Jakarta Asian Games. Saturday's defeat was Korea's first loss to Japan by 10 or more points in 47 years, since a 100-85 defeat at the 1979 Asia Championship. Sunday made it two double-digit losses in two days.
Korea scheduled the Japan trip as a tuneup before the second round of Asian qualifying for the 2027 FIBA World Cup later this month and the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games next month. Korea and Japan are in Group A at the Asian Games with Saudi Arabia and Indonesia and are set to meet again on Sept. 13.
The women's national basketball team also lost both its games in the same pretournament series. Japan won 77-59 on Thursday and 78-77 on Friday.
Korea head coach Nikolajs Mazurs directs his players during the second exhibition game against Japan at Ariake Arena in Tokyo on Aug. 16. Korea lost 95-66.JAPAN BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Nikolajs Mazurs, appointed late last year as the first foreign head coach of Korea's men's national team, is 1-5 through his first six games. Ahn Jun-ho had led the team before Chun Hee-chul took charge on an interim basis. The two heavy losses have added to questions within Korean basketball over why Ahn's contract was not renewed.
Korea again struggled with its organization Sunday and fell into an early hole it never recovered from.
The team played without forward Lee Hyun-jung, who was unavailable after receiving an invitation to an NBA team's minicamp. Japan rested Los Angeles Clippers forward Rui Hachimura for Sunday's game.
Korea's Jang Jae-seok goes up for a shot during the second exhibition game against Japan at Ariake Arena in Tokyo on Aug. 16. Korea lost 95-66.JAPAN BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Japan still fielded Clippers guard Yuki Kawamura and naturalized center Josh Hawkinson of the Tokyo Sunrockers. Kawamura led Japan with 24 points and six rebounds.
Korea repeated much the same poor start as Saturday. It fell behind 0-11 at the start of the first game and surrendered the first 13 points Sunday, leaving itself a steep deficit almost immediately.
Guard Yu Ki-sang scored 13 points, including four 3-pointers, while forward Yeo Jun-seok finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds for Korea.
BY PIH JU-YOUNG [cho.yongjun1@joongang.co.kr]
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
