South Korea’s men’s basketball team defeated the Philippines 69-42 on September 6 at the KT Sonicboom Arena in Suwon, according to reports by Yonhap News. The victory completed a two-match sweep in their final international friendly series ahead of the Asian Games, following an 81-55 win in the opening contest.
Led by head coach Nikolais Mazurs, South Korea built an early 19-4 lead by the end of the first quarter, fueled by Yoo Gi-sang, who hit four consecutive 3-pointers. South Korea extended its winning streak to three games, dating back to a FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers match against Saudi Arabia on August 31, bringing Mazurs’ overall record to 4 wins and 6 losses. The result also marked South Korea’s 30th all-time victory against the Philippines.
The visiting Philippine squad traveled without Justin Brownlee, the U.S.-born naturalized player who led their gold-medal run at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games. The roster also omitted most of the players who secured consecutive wins in last month’s FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers, leaving only Justine Arana and Justin Baltazar from that group on the floor in Suwon.
Yoo Gi-sang led all scorers with 15 points, while Yeo Jun-seok added 14 points, scoring heavily under the basket during the second quarter to push the lead to 38-14. Lee Hyun-jung secured a double-double with 11 points and grabbed over 10 rebounds by the end of the third quarter.
Asian Games Outlook and Preparations
South Korea is targeting its first Asian Games gold medal in 12 years, since winning the tournament at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games.
The Philippines struggled with shooting consistency throughout the two matches, managing only two points during the first nine minutes of the second friendly.
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