Chu Il-seung’s quarterfinal opponent is Bahrain.
The South Korean men’s basketball team, led by head coach Chu Il-seung, fell 77-83 to Japan in the final Group D game of the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Gimnazium in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China on Tuesday (June 30).
With a 2-1 record and second place in Group D, South Korea lost its direct ticket to the quarterfinals. They will now have to play the quarterfinals on October 2 to reach the semifinals.
Chu Il-seung-ho’s quarterfinal opponent is Bahrain. Photo by Chun Jung-hwan
Korea’s opponent will be Bahrain. After winning their final game against Thailand 76-62 to finish third in Group C with one win and two losses, Bahrain punched their ticket to the quarterfinals.
The two teams met a year ago in Group B of the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup. The Koreans struggled against the Bahrainis and won a close game, 78-73.
The Koreans were led by Ra Gun-ah (14 points, 8 rebounds), Lee Dae-sung (10 points, 2 rebounds, 4 steals), and Choi Jun-yong (15 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists) as they barely held off a desperate Bahrain. Heo Woong, who hit an and-one and a three-pointer at the end of the fourth quarter, also stood out.
One to watch out for is naturalized player Devon Chism, who tormented South Korea in the last Asia Cup and had 17 points, 20 rebounds, one steal and one blocked shot against the Koreans. Against Thailand in the quarterfinals, he had 25 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, and two steals.캡틴토토
Bahrain’s main target will be naturalized player Devon Chism, who struggled against South Korea in the last Asia Cup. Photo courtesy of FIBA
Veteran Maitam Issa is another player to watch out for. He scored 20 points, including five three-pointers, to go along with six rebounds and four assists against South Korea at the Asia Cup. He’s had a bit of a slump in the Asian Games, but his experience is still a threat.
South Korea will need to play and utilize as many players as possible to win against Bahrain. Stamina will be key as they will have less than 24 hours to rest after the 9 p.m. game on Oct. 2 before facing China in the quarterfinals at 1 p.m. on Oct. 3.
After the loss against Korea, the overall mood is low. However, we cannot give up. South Korea has always been strong in times of crisis and overcome them with miraculous strength. If they can easily overcome the sandy winds of the Middle East, there’s no reason why they can’t cross the Great Wall of China.
Our quarterfinal opponent is set. It’s time to forget about the loss to Korea and focus on Bahrain.