Women's basketball produces a miracle drama written by 11 players... Beats Japan in the final to win gold after 12 years [2026 Asian Games]

It was truly an exhilarating revolt that overturned conventional wisdom. Without two of their biggest pieces, 11 Taegeuk ladies completed a miraculous golden drama in the heart of hostile territory.
Led by head coach Park Su-ho, the South Korea women's national basketball team defeated host Japan 75-70 in the final of the 2026 Asian Games at Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, Japan, on the 26th to claim the long-awaited gold medal. It marked South Korea's return to the top of Asia 12 years after the 2014 Incheon Games, as well as a landmark away Asian Games title achieved 32 years after the 1994 Hiroshima Games.
In fact, concerns outweighed expectations surrounding the team ahead of the tournament. Jisu Park (KB), a pillar of Korean basketball, was sidelined while undergoing rehabilitation, and ace Park Ji-hyun (Los Angeles Sparks), who plays in the WNBA, also missed the event because of her club's schedule. With only 11 players, the team had to endure a grueling schedule without even filling its 12-player roster.
Yet the deep sense of crisis instead became a powerful catalyst that united the players. After South Korea defeated China in the semifinals on the 25th, overcoming 220-centimeter Zhang Ziyu and snapping a six-game head-to-head losing streak, the team pulled off another upset by defeating archrival Japan, which had recently beaten South Korea seven straight times.
South Korea seized control from the opening minutes with relentless energy and took a commanding 42-23 lead into halftime. Hae-ran Lee (Samsung Life Insurance) attacked fiercely under the basket, while Kang Lee-seul (Woori Bank) and Lee So-hee (BNK Sum) caught fire from outside.
There was a scare, however. Japan mounted a fierce comeback in the second half, cutting the gap to 72-70 with 15 seconds remaining and leaving South Korea facing a nail-biting two-point game. But with 14 seconds left, captain Kang Lee-seul calmly converted both free throws to seal the tense contest. Hae-ran Lee led the victory with 24 points and nine rebounds, while Kang Lee-seul, with 21 points and seven rebounds, and Lee So-hee, with 16 points and four assists, delivered crucial scores and stood at the center of the gold-medal celebration.
Meanwhile, Korean basketball reached the top of Asia in the women's division as well, following the men's 5-on-5 national team, which won the title after 12 years, and the men's 3-on-3 team, which captured its first-ever gold medal. It was a landmark achievement that opened a golden era of men's and women's victories at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya.