South Korean men's basketball team suffers record 20-point loss to Japan on Liberation Day

South Korea's men's national basketball team experienced a humbling defeat on Aug. 15, losing to Japan by a record 20 points with a final score of 68-88 in a friendly match held in Tokyo. This significant margin surpasses the previous record of a 17-point loss set during the 1962 Jakarta Asian Games.

The game, held on Korea's Liberation Day, carried added significance. However, South Korea was hampered by the absence of key players, including Lee Hyun-jung, who was at an NBA team's mini-camp, and Choi Joon-yong, who is pursuing opportunities in the U.S. Lee Jung-hyun, though present, did not play due to poor physical condition.

In contrast, Japan's roster boasted formidable talent, including NBA players Rui Hachimura, who scored 22 points, and Yuki Kawamura, who contributed 12 points and 6 assists. Naturalized player Josh Hawkinson added 18 points and 14 rebounds. Japan's dominance was evident from the start, with an initial 11-0 run that South Korea struggled to overcome.

The defeat is the fourth in five games for new head coach Aleksandar Đorđević, raising questions about his vision for the team. South Korea's women's team also recently lost two friendly matches against Japan. The two national teams are scheduled for a second friendly match on Aug. 16.