The Korean women's basketball team lost by 4 points against Serbia, the world's 8th ranked player in the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).
South Korea, led by Jeon Joo-won, lost 61-65 to Serbia in the women's group A basketball match at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games held today at Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, 61-65.
Korea, ranked 19th in the FIBA ranking, competed in a group with the world's top eight teams such as 3rd place Spain, 4th place Canada, and 8th place Serbia.
Korea, who lost 3 games, finished the tournament with the bottom of Group A.
After the quarterfinals of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Korean women's basketball failed to advance to the Olympic finals in London in 2012 and Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
Korean women's basketball, which finished this tournament with three losses, is waiting for the Olympic final victory after the 2008 Beijing Olympics until the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Korea lost to Spain by 69-73, 4 points, and against Canada, they played relatively evenly until the third quarter, but the gap widened in the fourth quarter and they lost 53-74.
Korea's opponent, Serbia, has a lower world ranking than Spain and Canada, but they defeated Canada 72-68 in the first leg, and won the bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, and is a strong team that has climbed to the top of the Euro Basket this year.
The AP reported Serbia as a silver medal candidate after the United States through the medal prospects for each event ahead of the competition.
The initial start was not good.
After the game started, Korea, which suffered from hunting in the outskirts of which all three stores in the first 10 missed, seemed to feel the difference in power as they were drawn 1-9.
However, Korea began to narrow the gap little by little as they faced each other equally in the rebound fight against Serbia, who had four players taller than 190 cm.
Korea, who finished the first half 24-32, made a 40-40 tie with three consecutive stores of Park Hye-jin (Woori Bank) and Yoon Ye-bin (Samsung Life Insurance) at one point in the third quarter, and after that, Park Ji-hyeon (Woori Bank) made a bold breakthrough until the end of the third quarter. It was tight 42-42.
At the beginning of the 4th quarter, it was again 46-53, but at this time, Ji-hyun Park made up for five points in a row with a 3-point shot and a breakthrough under the goal, continuing the pursuit with 51-53.
With 4 minutes and 44 seconds left, Yoon Ye-bin again scored three points in the corner and made the first comeback of the day 58-56.
Korea took the lead 61-60 until 2:32 minutes before the end, but Serbia again took the lead after conceding two free throws.
In the subsequent attack, Park Ji-soo (KB)'s shot bounced a few times and then spilled out and could no longer catch up.
Park Ji-hyun scored the most with 17 points, and Kim Dan-bi (Shinhan Bank) also scored 15 points.
◇ Women's Basketball Records ▲ Group A Korea (3 losses) 61 (10-17 14-15 20-18 17-15) 65 Serbia (2 wins 1 loss) Spain (3 wins) 76-66 Canada (1 wins 2 losses)
(Photo = Yonhap News)