NANTES (2016 FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament) - Korea kept their hopes of playing at the Rio 2016 Olympics very much alive on Saturday thanks to an 81-62 triumph over Cuba in the 2016 FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament (WOQT) qualification for the Fifth-Place Game. 

Kang Ajeong propelled Korea with a game-high 22 points, Kim Danbi added 17 points, while Leidys Oquendo finished with a team-best 19 points in the losing cause for Cuba.

With the win, the East Asians will compete for the remaining place on offer for the Rio Olympics. In Sunday's decisive Fifth-Place Game, they will take on the winner of Saturday's  Belarus-Argentina game.  

Turning Point: Cuba trailed 21-20 at the end of the opening quarter. They struggled to adjust defensively and Korea made the most of it in the second period as Kang Ajeong hit four three-pointers and Lee Seungah one of her own to stretch the lead up to as many as 13 points. The East Asians headed to the locker room with a 46-35 advantage.  

Stats Don't Lie: Korea's 11 made three-pointers were a major blow to Cuba's attempts to stay in the game. To make matters  worse for the islanders, point guard Ineidis Casanova struggled and finished with just 6 points. 

Game Hero: Following Korea's defeat to Nigeria, Kang Ajeong pledged to do everything in her power to keep Korea in the race for the five tickets for the Rio Games. Two games later, she was still playing like a real Olympian.  

The Bottom Line: Trailing by 18 midway through the third quarter, Cuba head coach Alberto Zabala looked resigned. On the court, his players missed shots time and time again. If Korea continue to play at such an intense level, it wouldn't be a surprise to see them book their place in Rio.

FIBA