"Just Wait, Japan"—Lee Hyun-jung Explodes for 23 Points as Men's Basketball Crushes Saudi Arabia in Golden Opening at Asian Games [Nagoya Asian Games]

[Financial News] As the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, the biggest sporting festival for 4.8 billion Asians, got underway, South Korea's men's national basketball team made a spectacular start to its bid for gold after 12 years by opening the competition with a resounding victory.
South Korea, coached by Nikolajs Mazurs of Latvia, defeated Saudi Arabia 82-66 in the first Group A game at 4 p.m. on the 10th at Aichi International Arena in Japan. Men's basketball was the first team sport at these Games to get underway, and its opening win gave the entire South Korean delegation a boost as the team made an excellent start.
In the 5-on-5 basketball tournament, the 12 participating countries are divided into three groups. After the group stage, the top two teams from each group and the two best third-place teams advance to the quarterfinals. By overwhelming Saudi Arabia at the first hurdle of a difficult medal race, South Korea can now set its sights on the next stage with greater confidence.
The chief architect of the victory was undoubtedly ace Lee Hyun-jung of the Portland Trail Blazers. Displaying the skills he honed in the United States, Lee Hyun-jung led the offense superbly, scoring 23 points on his own. Lee Woo-seok of the Armed Forces Athletic Corps added 18 points, including several three-pointers, while veteran big man Lee Seung-hyun of Hyundai Mobis provided solid support with 13 points.
South Korea set the pace from the opening minutes. After taking a 24-17 lead in the first quarter, the team went into halftime ahead 41-28, stretching the margin into double digits. Mazurs' squad intensified its attack after the break. Just before the end of the third quarter, Lee Woo-seok drilled a thrilling three-pointer, widening the score to 74-44—a 30-point lead that completely extinguished Saudi Arabia's hopes of a comeback.

Although South Korea allowed Saudi Arabia to narrow the gap somewhat after fatigue set in midway through the fourth quarter, the game ended with a 16-point victory. The dominant performance throughout was more than formidable enough for a team seeking to reclaim the title after 12 years.
After opening the tournament with a win over Saudi Arabia, South Korea will quickly return to action. The team will play Indonesia in its second group-stage game at 4 p.m. on the 11th, followed by the "fateful Korea-Japan showdown" against host Japan at 7 p.m. on the 13th.
South Korean men's basketball endured a long slump after winning gold at the Incheon Games. Now, the great advance of Mazurs' squad, which aims to make the national anthem ring out beneath Nagoya's autumn sky, has begun to soar like an extraordinary deer.
[email protected] Jeon Sang-il Reporter