Unified Korean team reaches women's hoops final with big win over Chinese Taipei

Ji-Su Park

The unified Korean women's basketball team reached the final of the 18th Asian Games with an 89-66 win over Chinese Taipei on Thursday. South Korea's WNBA center Ji-Su Park (195-C-98) had a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds, while three players delivered 17 points apiece at Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) Istora, as the joint team secured at least a silver medal in Jakarta. Korea will next face the winner of the match between Japan and China for the gold medal Saturday. But whether it's gold or silver, the medal will be in the history books as it will be the first medal won by a unified Korean team in ball sports at an international multisport competition. The medals won by the unified Korean team at the Asian Games will be awarded to neither South Korea nor North Korea, instead it will be awarded to the single entity named Korea. Korea has already won one gold and two bronze medals in dragon boat racing in canoeing at the 18th Asian Games. Korea lost to Chinese Taipei 87-85 in overtime during the preliminary round but was far more dominant and efficient in Thursday's rout. Korea saw a 35-24 lead dwindle to 35-33 midway through the second quarter but then pulled away with a 15-2 run to close out the first half. Korea then opened the third quarter with a 9-0 run and held Chinese Taipei without a point for seven minutes between the second and third quarters. Korea had 15 fast break points to Chinese Taipei's five and outrebounded the opponent 47 to 34.
Courtesy of: yonhapnews.co.kr