KOR/LAT – Latvia fightback comes up short as Korea advance to quarter-finals
Korea nearly squandered a 17-point lead early in the fourth quarter but held on to beat Latvia and advance to the quarter-finals at the Olympics. The FIBA Asia champions led 63-46 with 8:41 remaining and looked ready to deliver the knockout punch but Latvia’s Ieva Kublina and Anete Jekabsone-Zogota had other ideas. Kublina poured in 13 fourth-quarter points to fuel a comeback and Zogota, who had a game-high 22, hit a running jumper in the lane with 12 seconds left to close the gap to 70-68.
BEIJING (Olympics) – Korea nearly squandered a 17-point lead early in the fourth quarter but held on to beat Latvia 72-68 and advance to the quarter-finals at the Olympics.
The FIBA Asia champions led 63-46 with 8:41 remaining and looked ready to deliver the knockout punch but Latvia’s Ieva Kublina and Anete Jekabsone-Zogota had other ideas.
Kublina poured in 13 fourth-quarter points to fuel a comeback and Zogota, who had a game-high 22, hit a running jumper in the lane with 12 seconds left to close the gap to 70-68.
Latvia had to foul at the end, though, and Korea’s Lee Misun made both free throws for the four-point win.
Korea coach Jung Duk Hwa said: "We expected a tough game. We were under a lot of pressure.
“Unlike the past two games, my players were in form and very confident going into the game.
“My players fought until the end and that was the key for the victory. I'm very happy with their performances.”
With the victory, Korea finished fourth in Group A and will go into the quarter-finals against Group B winners the United States.
“We are weaker than Team USA,” Jung said. “We acknowledge that gap.
“In terms of size, we are shorter than the Americans. We should build on our defense and strengthen our offense when we meet Team USA.”
Few, if anyone, will be giving the Koreans much of a chance to upset the three-time defending champions, but Jung believes his team can cause some problems for the USA, whose coaching staff watched them defeat Latvia for their second win in the tournament.
“We will have to analyze their play and see their weaknesses and where we can hurt them," he said.
Jekabsone-Zogota had 16 of her points at half-time while Park Jungeun led the Koreans with 17.
“This has been a great experience for us because now we know what we have to do to play at this level,” Latvia coach Ainars Zvirgzdins said to FIBA.com.
“Now we know what we have to change in our system, in our offense and in our defense.”
FIBA