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South Korea's Park Ji-su (second from right in black jersey) competes in the bronze medal match of the women's basketball against North Korea at Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium in Hangzhou, China, during the 19th Asian Games on Thursday. (Yonhap) |
South Korea won the first-ever bronze medal match against North Korea in women's basketball at the 19th Asian Games in China, finishing the continental competition in third place.
In the match for third place at Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium in Hangzhou, South Korea beat North Korea 93-63 to claim bronze.
The bronze is South Korea's fifth consecutive medal in an Asian Games, following the silver medal won by the unified Korean team in 2018.
And it was the first time that South and North Koreas had competed for a medal in basketball at any Asian Games.
The two clashed in a previous preliminary round last week, and the South routed the North 81-62.
Center Park Ji-su led the South Korean team with 25 points and 10 rebounds, while Kim Danbi contributed 21 points.
With North Korea's 2-meter center, Pak Jin-a, North Korea led the first quarter 21-15.
But South Korea's former WNBA player, Park Ji-su, took the low post, and helped her team come back and gain a seven-point lead before the break.
In the third quarter, North Korea's effective field goals tied the game 40-40, but Kim Danbi's three-pointer and Park Ji-su's low post goal gave South Korea a lead again. Since then, South Korea held its opponents to four points and closed the quarter at 61-44.
South Korea put eight three-point shots into the basket in the fourth quarter, extending the lead to more than 30 points, and sealed the victory throughout.
