South-North clash slated for women's basketball bronze medal match

The South Korean women's team reacts after losing a semifinal to Japan at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium in Hangzhou, China on Tuesday. [YONHAP]

The South Korean women’s basketball team’s bid to win their fifth Asian Games gold medal ended after an 81-58 loss to Japan in the semifinals at the Hangzhou Asian Games on Tuesday.

The game at Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium in Hangzhou, China showed the level of difference between the two sides.

Japan dominated from the start, taking a 2-0 lead and giving South Korea no room to score until Kim Dan-bi made it 7-2. South Korea’s efforts fell short during the first quarter and the score became 20-15.

South Korea made multiple substitutions in the second quarter, but still showed vulnerability in defense, allowing Japan to score a series of 3-pointers to end the quarter at 40-33.

Japan then took the score to 56-44 by the end of the third quarter and a victory seemed guaranteed for them.

Kim and Park Ji-su attempted to bounce back for the team through the end, but the score gap became bigger, with Japan claiming an 81-58 win.

Tuesday’s result ended South Korea’s bid to win their first Asiad gold since 2014. They are still in the tournament, however, as they have to play a bronze medal game against North Korea on Thursday. The two countries already faced off in the group stage, where the South beat the North 81-62.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]