"I would appreciate it if you would send a whip to the coach and encouragement and comfort to the players."

Coach Ahn Jun-ho's South Korean men's basketball team defeated Indonesia 90-63 in the 6th match of Group A in the qualifiers for the 2025 International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Asia Cup held at the Indonesia Arena on the 23rd.

With this, Korea wrapped up the qualifiers with a major victory by 27 points in the last match, finishing with a record of 4 wins and 2 losses (10 points). Korea secured second place, succeeding in direct qualification for the Asia Cup, following group leader Australia (12 points), which won all 6 matches.

Korea achieved its goal by winning all four of its matches except for two against Australia. However, the team also exposed some instability during this process. In particular, they left an impression of disappointment in terms of performance, narrowly winning against Thailand with a score of 91-90.

Coach Ahn Jun-ho also noted through the Korean Basketball Association, "The match against Thailand on the 20th was a game that left a lot of regret, self-blame, and reflection," adding, "However, today, the players showcased focus from start to finish, pouring out their individual potentials. I am very grateful to the players, and I believe that if they continue to display this form, we will certainly be able to speak of hope."

Korean basketball is undergoing a generational change. This time, Yang Jun-seok and Lee Geun-hwi joined the national team for the first time, along with the 'brothers' Moon Jeong-hyun and Moon Yu-hyun. Coach Ahn Jun-ho stated, "We are currently in a period of generational change. We are laying the groundwork for the distant future rather than seeking short-term benefits. We are preparing for next year’s Asian Games, the World Cup, and the Paris 2028 Olympics, and selecting national representatives, focusing on young players to construct the team."

Coach Ahn Jun-ho is looking to the future. He said, "Our national team has made changes through the recent Asia Cup qualifiers and the away match against Japan. We focused on broadening the spectrum by building a team with young players. Because the team is composed of young players, we are facing both opportunities and crises. Sometimes we achieve success, and sometimes we may fail. What’s important is not just to chase success, but to experience failure and overcome it wisely as we move forward. The lessons learned from failure will become a more precious asset for us."

Additionally, Coach Ahn Jun-ho added, "Success is entirely due to the players, while failure is entirely my responsibility. I am confident that we will show better results as we continue to accumulate more success while also experiencing failures. We can present a much better performance at the Asia Cup in August, and I would appreciate it if fans of men's basketball would send a whip to the coach and encouragement and comfort to the players."

Captain Lee Seung-hyun remarked, "From the beginning of today's game, the players' determination was extraordinary. The coach pointed out the disappointing aspects from the last match against Thailand and especially emphasized quick breaks after defense. We prepared well for this and were able to play the game easily. I am satisfied with the good results we achieved together with the players in the last match of the qualifiers."

On that day, Lee Seung-hyun excelled, scoring more than 10 points in the first half. He explained, "On the offensive side, the opposing big man's feet were slow, so I exploited that area with a lot of movement. Additionally, I induced mistakes from the opponent through pressing defense, resulting in numerous opportunities for uncontested fast breaks."

Looking back after finishing the qualifiers, Lee Seung-hyun said, "The most important aspect was showing good performance and victories to the fans, but there were disappointing moments as well. Nevertheless, since we have achieved qualification for the Asia Cup finals, I am somewhat satisfied with how the tournament concluded."

Finally, he expressed gratitude to fans by saying, "Currently, the international competitiveness of our country’s basketball appears to have declined significantly, but I am very grateful for the love and support for Korean basketball. The players are sufficiently aware of this and are making more efforts, so I ask for continued support. I don't know when I will be called up to the national team again, but if I am called, I will do my best to contribute to Korean basketball. Thank you very much."

/finekosh@osen.co.kr

[Photo provided by the Korean Basketball Association.]

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