WONJU (Korea) - There were no letups this time around as Korea defeated China in convincing fashion, 90-76, to sweep Window 1 of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers on Monday night.
Energized by an electric home crowd at the Wonju Gymnasium, the crew got off to a blazing start and never looked back on the way to proving that their win against Team Dragon last Friday in Beijing was no fluke.
The Koreans came into the match in high spirits after stunning the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 silver medalists by way of an 80-76 result at the Wukesong Arena and repeating in their own floor would make it all the more sweeter.
Coach Chun Heechul and his charges did just that, posting a win so dominant that should help alleviate the heartbreak that their long-time foes dealt them in the continental tilt's Quarter-Finals last summer.
Key players
Four players finished in double figures in the victory, with Lee Junghyun starring as he fired 24 points behind 9-of-11 shooting from the floor, highlighted by a near-perfect 6-for-7 clip from beyond the arc
Lee Hyunjung supplied 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists as he continued his fine play from two nights ago, in which he fired 33 points behind 9 triples to shatter a World Cup Qualifiers record for most threes in a game.
Ha Yungi delivered 17 points, 8 of which he made in the opening period alone to help preside over their solid start that set up the rout. Lee Weonseok chipped in 10 off the bench as a total of 8 players scored at least 3 in the win.
Turning point
Team Korea actually yielded the game's first basket to Zhou Qi but that proved to be the only time that China would taste a lead, as Ha and the two Lees joined hands to give themselves a 20-7 lead.
*This article will be updated shortly.