Today, China opened their 2027 FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers on home court but fell 80-76 to the Republic of Korea in a nail-biting encounter.
Without injured captain Zhao Rui, the Chinese squad saw Zhou Qi knock down the first jumper, yet Korea surged ahead to a 24-16 lead after the opening quarter. Lee Hyun-jung’s early triple pushed the margin to 12 points, and the visitors carried a 47-34 advantage into halftime.
China fought back in the third, with Hu Mingxuan feeding Hu Jinqiu for lay-ups and finding Gao Shiyan for a corner three as the hosts outscored Korea 17-14 in the period. Despite the rally, Korea’s balanced attack kept them in control, highlighted by Lee Junghyun linking with An Yongjun.
Lee Hyun-jung finished with a game-high 33 points, including nine triples, fueling Korea’s 14 successful long-range attempts. Zhang Zhenlin’s free throw cut the deficit to three in the fourth, but Korea closed out the win despite China outscoring them 24-19 in the final frame.
The result leaves China searching for momentum ahead of their next qualifier, while the Republic of Korea build confidence with a statement victory. With group play underway, Asia’s battle for 2027 World Cup berths is off to a thrilling start.
Reference(s):
China falls 80-76 to Republic of Korea in FIBA World Cup qualifiers
cgtn.com
