South Korea's men's basketball team suffers historic losses to Japan

South Korea's men's national basketball team faced a "humiliating defeat" on Liberation Day, losing by 20 points to Japan (world No. 22) in their first evaluation match and by 29 points in the second. The 66-95 loss on August 16 marked the largest point difference in the history of matches between the South Korean and Japanese men's national basketball teams, surpassing the previous record of 17 points set in 1962.

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We can't see any direction in what kind of basketball they are trying to play.

The team's performance has been met with disappointment, with one elder statesman of basketball criticizing the "lack of direction" in their play. South Korea, ranked 57th, was significantly outmatched from the start in both games, trailing 0-11 in the first and 0-13 in the second. They struggled to score against Japan's defense, showing a lack of coordinated play and confidence in their offensive drives.

While the absence of key players like Lee Hyun-jung, who is attending NBA mini-camps, and Choi Jun-yong and Song Kyo-chang due to overseas aspirations and injuries, was a factor, Japan's roster included NBA players like Rui Hachimura and Yuki Kawamura, along with naturalized player Josh Hawkinson. Despite these challenges, basketball officials pointed to a "lack of tactics" as the primary issue, noting the team's reliance on three-point shots when offensive plays faltered without adequate alternative strategies.

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The biggest problem is the lack of tactics.

Head coach Jurica Zuipan, the first foreign coach for the South Korean men's team, has a record of one win and five losses in six games since his appointment. Critics suggest that beyond giving opportunities to young players, his coaching direction remains unclear, and there is a need to better utilize players like Yeo Jun-seok, who struggled to establish himself as a central figure under the "Zuipan system." The team's performance raises concerns ahead of their Asian Games campaign, where they aim for gold after a 12-year drought. The women's national team also lost both of their evaluation matches against Japan.

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One of our homework assignments is that when the game isn't going well, we keep trying to shoot three-pointers.