SOUTH Korea advanced to the men’s basketball finals of the 20th Asian Games by hammering Iran, 77-51, in their semifinal duel on Friday at the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, Japan.
Behind a sizzling 42 percent shooting from beyond the arc, the South Koreans never allowed Team Melli to get into the groove, holding the opposition to just eight points in the opening quarter before taking a 36-24 lead with them at the break.
Lee Hyunjung, the 6-foot-7 forward recently signed by the Portland Trailblazers to a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 contract, presided over South Korea’s bombing of Iran after going 54 percent (7-of-13) from beyond the arc to finish with a game-high 26 points.
He added 14 rebounds for a double-double and had four assists in the win that put the South Koreans in the gold medal match for the first time since winning it all in 2014 during the Incheon Asiad.
They will play in the title game against the winner between top seed China and host Japan later on Friday night.
Lee Woosuk finished with 19 points and Lee Junghyun added 11 as the two combined for a 6-of-12 shooting from beyond the arc Korea.
The South Koreans hosted two friendlies in Suwon against Gilas Pilipinas, winning both games with a winning margin of 26.5 points.
Veteran Mohammad Jamshidi was the only player to finish in double figures for Iran with 12 points as Team Melli struggled with their shooting by going 25 percent from the field (14-of-55).
Mohammad Heydari came through with nine points and Arsalan Kazemi had eight points and 11 rebounds.
Iran will be battling for a podium finish for the first time since bagging the silver in the 2018 Jakarta Asiad.
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