Korea name players to fight for Olympic berth
SEOUL (2016 FIBA Olympic Women's Qualifying Tournament) - Park Jisu had her coming out party in the Korea senior team as a 15-year-old at the 2014 FIBA Women's World Championship. Two years later and the
SEOUL (2016 FIBA Olympic Women's Qualifying Tournament) - Park Jisu had her coming out party in the Korea senior team as a 15-year-old at the 2014 FIBA Women's World Championship. Two years later and the 1.95m center finds herself with an opportunity to help her homeland book a place in the Rio de Janeiro Games.
Park is among the headline names in Korea's 12-player squad for the FIBA Women's Olympic Tournament (WOQT) that has been announced by the country's basketball association.
| Korea roster for 2016 FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament | |||
| Bae Hyeyoon | Kwak Joo Yeong | Lee Seungah | Go Ah Ra |
| Lee Eun Hye | Park Hyejin | Lim Yung Hui | Kang Ajeong |
| Yang Ji Hee | Park Jisu | Kim Danbi | Kang Leeseul |
Park averaged 11 points and 5 rebounds per contest two years ago in Turkey, when Korea sent a young team that lost all three of its games to Belarus, Australia and Cuba. That Korea side was still difficult to play against for long stretches of games.
Park's numbers dropped off considerably at the 2015 FIBA Asia Women's Championship. With the return of more senior players like Kwak Joo Yeong, Park played less minutes but nevertheless contributed 5.5ppg and 4.2rpg. Kwak, a real workhorse in and around the lane, is also in the WOQT squad.
The leading scorer in last year's team, Kim Danbi, is looking to get her first taste of the Olympics. Danbi shot 32.4 percent from long range at last year's FIBA Asia Championship.
Korea will play in Group C at the WOQT against Belarus and Nigeria. If they win, they will take on a Group D side - China, Spain or Venezuela - with a spot in the Olympics at stake. A loss in that contest would leave the Koreans needing two more wins to progress to the Rio de Janeiro Games.
FIBA