By Ken Marantz
OCA Media
Nagoya, Japan, September 25, 2026: Korea completed the men’s basketball double on Friday, taking the gold medal in the 3x3 competition with 19-10 victory over Qatar.
Lee Juyeong scored a game-high nine points and Kim Seungwoo added five as the team won the title five days after their compatriots captured the gold in the 5x5 version with a victory over Japan.
In the 3x3 final on the temporary outdoor court near Kinjo Futo Station, the Koreans prevailed in a high-paced, physical game that had just 10 points scored midway through the 10-minute contest.
“I think it’s our energy and our strong stamina,” Lee said of Korea’s key to victory. “Athletes in Korea compared to other countries are physically weaker, but I think we are strong mentally.”
Korea held a 9-5 lead with three minutes left when Kim Seungwoo hit consecutive baskets. From then it was off to the races as Korea pulled away with three 2-pointers down the stretch to build an insurmountable lead.
“We were committed to win. I think that led to the victory,” said Lee Dongguen, who, along with Ku Mingyo, filled out the winning quartet.
Korea came into the competition, which was an U23-level event, off a silver-medal performance at the FIBA 3x3 Asian Cup in April in Singapore, where it lost to New Zealand in the final.
For the Qatar team, comprised of Nazar Mahmoud, Hamad Mousa, Mohammed Abbasher and Mubarek Jama, it marked a second straight loss in the Asian Games final. A squad that included Abbasher and Mousa fell to Chinese Taipei three years ago in Hangzhou.
“It’s bittersweet,” Texas-born Mahmoud said. “We still got a medal, but we came up short for what was our goal.
“I know our guys practice really hard and our goal was always gold. I’m proud of our guys for how we fought. It was a really good Korea team, but we just came up short in the end of the day.”
*Earlier, Iran took home the bronze medal with a 21-10 romp over the Philippines, with Sarem Jafari sealing the victory with a thunderous dunk with 1:46 left.
Mohammadbasir Momeni led Iran with 12 points. The other members of the squad were Seyedmohammad Ghafari and Mohammadmahdi Rahimi.
*In the semifinals in the afternoon session, Korea crushed the Philippines 21-9 while Qatar edged Iran 14-11 to set up the gold-medal clash.