Korea wins FIBA U-18 Asian Championship for first time in 22 years

The Korean national U-18 basketball team celebrates winning the FIBA U-18 Asian Championship on Sunday, beating Japan 77-73 in the final at Azadi Basketball Hall in Iran. [YONHAP]

Korea won the FIBA U-18 Asian Championship on Sunday for the first time in over two decades, beating Japan 77-73 in the final at Azadi Basketball Hall in Iran.

The last time Korea won was in 2000, when the national team beat China 120-92 to win their third-ever title.

After the biennial event was canceled in 2020, the Championship final took place on Sunday for the first time in four years.

Korea finished eighth in 2018 after finishing third in both 2016 and 2014.

Korea started the final match on Sunday with a three-pointer from Lee Chae-hyung, but after Japan leveled the score, Korea kept trailing behind. The first quarter ended 24-19.

The teams were at a 10-point difference with 5 minutes left in the second quarter, but Korea gradually closed the gap until Korea took the back the lead for the first time with two minutes left as Lee Ju-yeong scored a two-pointer, bringing the score to 39-38.

The second quarter ended 46-44, Japan taking the two-point lead. That two point difference grew to five as the third quarter ended 64-59.

But it was the final round that made all the difference. With just one minute left on the clock, the score was level: 73-73.

It was Lee Hae-sol who broke the deadlock, adding a two-pointer with 23 seconds left on the clock.

Lee Ju-yeong scored the final two-pointer with two seconds left on the clock, and the match ended 77-73, Korea clinching silverware for the first time in 22 years.

Lee Ju-yeong scored the most points of the match with 28, also marking four rebounds and five assists, and was named the MVP of the match. The top scorer for Japan was Hayato Wakugawa, who scored 20 points on Sunday.

"We had a very tight competition schedule and the whole squad was physically exhausted, but I think we won today because we never gave up and stayed concentrated until the very end," Lee Ju-yeong said Sunday.

"I will remember every moment, and I was so excited when I scored that last two-pointer because that's when I realized that we would win. I am very grateful to be named MVP too."

En route to the finals, Korea won their first group stage match 100-63 against India but was beaten by China 89-74 in their second group stage match.

Korea advanced to the quarterfinals as the second-placed team of the group, then beat the host nation 66-65 on Aug. 24, advancing to the semifinal with a narrow margin of a single point.

Korea then beat China 89-85 on Friday to advance to the final while Japan beat Lebanon 80-67 in the other leg.

"Every match was difficult, but, now that I look back, it was also very meaningful," said Lee.

"We beat the host nations Iran in the quarterfinals then came back big to beat China in the semifinals. I am so happy to have won the final as well. I will try to learn more and grow into a better player."

China took the bronze medal after beating Lebanon 85-68 in the bronze medal match.

Iran took fifth place, Philippines took sixth, Chinese Taipei took seventh and Qatar took eighth.

BY YUN SO-HYANG [yun.sohyang@joongang.co.kr]