Men’s Basketball: Quarterfinals Bound After Great Wall Victory

South Korea Advances in FIBA Asia Cup, Japan Eliminated

South Korea progressed in the 2025 FIBA Asia cup after a strong performance against Guam, while Japan, despite being a tournament favorite, was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Lebanon. The tournament has seen notable performances from both emerging and established players, including a key return for a South Korean player recovering from injury.

South Korea’s Victory and Key Player return

South Korea demonstrated initiative and secured their position in the next round with a win against guam. A notable boost for the team was the return of Yeo Jun-suk (23, Seattle University) in the fourth quarter. Jun-suk had previously been sidelined due to knee injuries, and his re-entry proved valuable to the team’s performance.

Japan’s Upset Loss to Lebanon

Japan, initially favored alongside Australia, suffered a 73-97 defeat against Lebanon in the quarter-final match. Lebanon’s naturalized player, Die Rohson (28), proved instrumental in their victory, earning the title of Best Player (MVP). Rohson previously played for Wonju DB in the Korean Basketball League (KBL) during the 2023-24 season. https://www.fiba.basketball/asia-cup/news/lebanon-upsets-japan-to-reach-semi-finals

Despite Lawson’s strong performance with 24 points and 10 rebounds, Lebanon ultimately prevailed 97-86 against Korea in a separate match. Notably, key Japanese players, including Hachimura rui (27, LA Lakers) and Kawamura Yuki (24, Chicago Bulls), were absent from the tournament. Key Takeaways

South Korea advanced in the FIBA Asia cup with a win against Guam and the return of key player Yeo Jun-suk.
Japan was eliminated by Lebanon in the quarter-finals, largely due to the performance of Lebanon’s naturalized player, Die rohson.
* The absence of NBA players Hachimura Rui and Kawamura Yuki impacted Japan’s performance.