Women’s basketball team falls to Japan, misses trip to London

Korea’s women’s basketball team suffered a humiliating 79-51 loss to its archrival Japan in a crucial qualification match for the London Olympics in Turkey on Saturday, dashing hopes for a fifth-straight berth in the Olympics.

It is the first loss to Japan in women’s basketball since a 74-70 defeat in the third-place decider at the Doha Asian Games in 2006. Korea lost to Japan 102-56 at the U16 Asian Women’s Championship final last December held in China.

Not only did the loss come at the worst possible time, but it was the biggest margin of defeat to Japan in adult games since 1975. Korea’s women’s basketball is ranked ninth by the FIBA, the world governing body for basketball. Japan is 34th.

Japan dominated throughout the Saturday game, leading by as much as 33 points in the third quarter. Korea committed 23 fouls compared with six for Japan.

The winner of a match between Japan and Canada today will get the last spot at the London Games.

By Moon Gwang-lip