KOR/BRA – Koreans force overtime and beat Brazil

BEIJING (Olympics) - Brazil missed a chance to win in regulation and Korea punished them in overtime by winning their Group B encounter 68-62 on Saturday – the first day of the Olympics.

Beon Yeonha and Choi Younah each had 19 points for the Koreans while Kelly Santos scored 12 for Brazil, who ended up turning the ball over 29 times.

“Defensively we worked very hard,” said Korea coach Jung Duk Hwa.

“In their scheme, we stepped up the zone defense in the last quarter and overtime period. It was a tough game, but still we won.”

The Brazilians looked to be in a winning position after Karla’s three-pointer gave them a 55-49 lead with 3:29 remaining, but they did not press home the advantage and Korea fought back to tie the contest with six free throws over the next three minutes.

After Choi’s two free throws tied the game at 55-5 with 21 seconds left, Paulo Bassul’s team still had an opportunity to win.

They held the ball for one shot.

Claudia penetrated, passed to Micaela on the right baseline but the Brazil forward’s jump shot bounced off the rim as the buzzer sounded.

Beon Yeonha then scored seven of Korea’s 13 points in overtime as they stunned the South Americans.

For Brazil coach Bassul, it was easy to pinpoint the cause of defeat.

“We lost the game during the last two minutes of the fourth quarter,” he said.

“We were too conservative, too focused on defense rather than offense.

“We should see a better balance. We have also failed to keep up our defense.”

Brazil lost despite out-rebounding the Koreans, 53-31.

FIBA