Yoo Gi-sang and Lee Hyun-jung, Three-Point Barrage Against Former Runner-Up Lebanon!... '22 Three-Pointers' South Korea, Green Light for Quarterfinals

[Financial News]  The South Korean men's basketball team advanced to the quarterfinals in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup group stage by defeating strong opponent Lebanon with overwhelming performance.
It was a thrilling victory led by the explosive three-point shots of Yoo Gi-sang and Lee Hyun-jung.
Under the guidance of Coach Ahn Jun-ho, South Korea (FIBA ranking 53rd) defeated Lebanon (29th) 97-86 in the third match of Group A in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup group stage held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on the 11th (Korean time). After losing heavily to Australia 61-97 in the first match and defeating Qatar 97-83 in the second match, South Korea recorded 2 wins and 1 loss in the group stage. South Korea advanced to the quarterfinals as the second place in the group following Australia with 3 wins, while Lebanon finished third in the group with 1 win and 2 losses, and Qatar (3 losses) ended the tournament at the bottom of the group.
A total of 16 countries participated in this tournament, divided into 4 groups of 4 teams each for the group stage, with the top team from each group advancing directly to the quarterfinals. The second and third place teams will compete in separate advancement matches to determine whether they join the quarterfinals. South Korea will face Guam, the third place team in Group B, on the 12th for a spot in the quarterfinals.
The standout players in this match were undoubtedly Yoo Gi-sang and Lee Hyun-jung. Yoo Gi-sang attempted 12 three-pointers and succeeded in 8, scoring 28 points and 3 steals, earning the title of MVP of the match. Lee Hyun-jung also shone with 28 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists, including 7 three-pointers. Together, the two players combined for 15 three-pointers and 56 points, showcasing their formidable outside shooting power.



Additionally, Yang Jun-seok (LG) contributed 10 points and 8 assists, orchestrating the team's offense. Despite the absence of Yeo Jun-seok and Lee Jung-hyun due to knee injuries, their absence was not felt. Lebanon's ace Wael Arakji also could not take the court due to a shoulder injury.
South Korea launched an aggressive attack from the start of the game. In the first quarter alone, 7 three-pointers exploded, widening the score gap. Lee Hyun-jung made 3, Yoo Gi-sang 2, and Yang Jun-seok and Jeong Seong-woo (Korea Gas Corporation) each added 1. Leading by 9 points, South Korea entered the second quarter and continued their outside offensive, adding 6 more three-pointers to further widen the gap, finishing the first half with a 52-36, 16-point lead.


In the third quarter, South Korea shook Lebanon's defense with various scoring methods both inside and outside, including Yang Jun-seok's floater, Yoo Gi-sang's long-range three-pointer, and Lee Hyun-jung's cut-in followed by a layup. Starting the final quarter with a 74-56 lead, South Korea extended the lead to 25 points with Yoo Gi-sang's steal followed by a fast-break layup and Lee Seung-hyun's (Hyundai Mobis) three-pointer, completely tilting the game in their favor. Despite Lebanon's fierce pursuit, Lee Hyun-jung was reintroduced and sank a three-pointer to douse their hopes, and Jeong Seong-woo's outside shot sealed the victory.
On this day, South Korea dominated the game with a terrifying outside explosion, succeeding in 22 out of 38 three-pointers attempted.



jsi@fnnews.com Jeon Sang-il Reporter