China's men's basketball team secured a historic 79-71 victory over South Korea in the FIBA Asia Cup quarterfinals on Thursday, advancing to the semifinals for the first time in 10 years. The hard-fought win in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, showcased resilience and teamwork as China overcame a late-game surge from their rivals.
Hu Jinqiu dominated the court with 23 points and 11 rebounds, while rising star Wang Junjie, 20, added 21 points. Wang's explosive first-half performance included 15 points, though he humorously apologized for a fourth-quarter leg cramp: "Sorry about my left leg… but thrilled with the team win. We shut down their key player, and I hope we take the title in the end."
South Korea struggled with three-pointers, missing 21 of 24 attempts, but narrowed China's 11-point halftime lead to 77-71 in the final minutes. Lee Hyun-jung led their effort with 22 points. Hu emphasized unity: "We stayed calm and encouraged each other… Our Chinese team showed fighting spirit."
China now faces New Zealand in Saturday's semifinals after their 90-86 win over Lebanon. The other semifinal pits Australia against Iran, setting the stage for a high-stakes weekend in Asian basketball.
