"Lee Hyun-jung-Lee Jung-hyun-Choi Jun-yong": The dream trio is set to take the court... Silver medalists Hangzhou and Jordan set for a fierce battle

[Financial News] The South Korean men's basketball team, having secured first place in their group with three straight wins, faces formidable Jordan in the biggest test on its quest for its first gold medal in 12 years.
The South Korean men's national basketball team (FIBA ranking: 57th), led by Latvian head coach Nikolais Majuls, will face Jordan (41st) for a place in the semifinals in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, Japan, at 10 a.m. on the 16th.
The momentum in the group stage was perfect. The Majuls-led team defeated Saudi Arabia (82-66) and Indonesia (102-48) in succession, then routed Japan 100-83 in the third game, effectively a 'decider for first place in the group.' By completely washing away on the main stage the humiliation of two heavy defeats to Japan in away friendlies last August, Korea secured first place in Group A with a 3-0 record.

In this tournament, 12 countries are divided into three groups for the group stage, after which the quarterfinal matchups are determined by overall standings. Korea, which finished second overall after the group stage, will face seventh-ranked Jordan in a do-or-die battle for a place in the semifinals under the regulations.
Jordan is a strong team that Korea cannot afford to underestimate. Although it finished third in Group B (1-2), behind Iran and Taiwan, it ranks 16 places higher than Korea in the objective rankings. In particular, Jordan is the defending runner-up, having won the silver medal behind the Philippines at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games. Above all, its firepower, led by two formidable naturalized players, makes Jordan a worthy contender for the title in this tournament.
However, Korea's roster has finally become complete. The most welcome news is the arrival of key forward Choi Jun-yong. Choi Jun-yong, who missed the group stage while pursuing an opportunity on the U.S. basketball scene, will join the national team from the quarterfinals. His addition is expected to create tremendous synergy for the Majuls-led team on both offense and defense.

In addition, the scoring of Lee Hyun-jung, who displayed the class of an 'ace' throughout the group stage, and Lee Jung-hyun, the Korean Basketball League (KBL) regular-season MVP who exploded while dominating the third quarter against Japan, remains formidable. Lee Seoung-hyun and Jang Jae-seok are ready to protect the paint, while Yoo Ki-sang has also prepared his perimeter support. Yeo Jun-seok, who missed the first game with a foot injury, has also improved and is coordinating when he will return to action.
Korean basketball has gone without an Asian Games gold medal for 12 years since winning the 2014 Incheon Games. In particular, at the previous Hangzhou Asian Games, Korea was eliminated in the quarterfinals and suffered the humiliation of finishing seventh, its lowest ranking ever.
The journey to reclaim the pride of the lost Asian powerhouse begins now. Basketball fans will be watching the Nagoya court at 10 a.m. on the 16th to see whether the Taegeuk Warriors, strengthened by the arrival of Choi Jun-yong, can silence Jordan's naturalized-player duo and seize a ticket to the semifinals.
[email protected] Jeon Sang-il Reporter