In a thrilling quarterfinal at the FIBA Asia Cup in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, China claimed a 79-71 victory over the Republic of Korea, marking its first appearance in the last four in a decade.
Center Hu Jinqiu starred with 23 points and 11 rebounds, while 20-year-old forward Wang Junjie poured in 21 points—15 of them in the first half.
"Sorry about my left leg cramping in the fourth quarter, but thrilled with the team win," said Wang. "We shut down their key player, and I hope we take the title in the end."
Hu reflected on the team effort: "It is not easy to face the Republic of Korea, but we played hard and claimed the victory. Our opponents caused us a lot of trouble, but we stayed united for 40 minutes. Everybody encouraged each other to stay calm. Our team showed fighting spirit, and we reached the semifinals."
The Republic of Korea struggled from beyond the arc, missing 21 of 24 three-point attempts, but converted 20 of 26 free throws. Lee Hyun-jung led their charge with 22 points, followed by 15 from Ha Yun-gi.
Later that evening, New Zealand edged Lebanon 90-86 and will meet China in Saturday's semifinals. Australia faces Iran in the other semifinal showdown.
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China defeat South Korea 79-71 to advance to FIBA Asia Cup semifinals
cgtn.com
