Game Photos. Game Details and Stats

JOHOR BAHRU, Malaysia (21st FIBA Asia U18 Championship for Women): Korea played a rather compact game, but were more helped Chinese Taipei’s profligacy in their 61-42 win in the bronze medal play-off, which put them back in the top three in the FIBA Asia junior women pecking order.

The result along with fetching Korea their seventh bronze medal – after being beaten by Taipei to a medal two years ago at the 20th FIBA Asia U18 Championship for Women at Surat Thani (Thailand) – also booked the third and remaining ticket from FIBA Asia for the 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship for Women to be played in Lithuania next July.

Korea had lost to Taipei rather without a whimper 71-88 when the two had met in the Level I Prelim Round, but the Korean team that took to the court tonight looked more confident, composed and compact right from the word go.

Sacrificing speed for control, Korea adapted the zone defense, which caught the Taipei offense by surprise.

Ku Seul was the leader of this newfound Korean symphony, although it was more contrived than natural more often with Kang Seul adding teeth in defense.

Having opened the scoring for the game, Korea never fell back on the scoreboard and as the game progressed their control only grew.

Helping the Korean assault was Taipei’s woeful form in shooting – with the normally consistent Lin Yu-Ting drawing a blank in all her six attempts before finishing with a miserable 2/11 in field shooting – struggling to weave her normal drive ins past the Korean zone.

“We wanted to break their rhythm, which was the primary reason for our defeat (last time),” said Korea coach No Wanki.

“In fact it was a pleasant surprise that our girls responded to the call very well. We have played zone before, but certainly we are not very comfortable. You could see that in our offense,” he said.

It was only in the fourth quarter that the Korean offense came into their own and moved fluently, but by then their defense – with timely tactics had taken control of the game.

Taipei on the other hand struggled throughout. Therein lay the difference between winning the bronze medal and just being a semifinalist!

FIBA Asia