Unified Korean Women's Basketball Team Defeats India
Jakarta. The unified Korean women's basketball team defeated India 104-54 on Monday (20/08), marking its second victory at this year's Asian Games.
South Korea's Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon and North Korea's Sports Minister Kim Il-guk witnessed the team's victory at the Gelora Bung Karno basketball hall in Jakarta.
The team comprises nine South Korean and three North Korean players.
Another South Korean Player, Park Ji-su, will join the team in Jakarta when she finishes her Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) season with Las Vegas Aces in the United States, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported.
During Monday's game, everyone on the 11-member team got into action and scored. South Korean player Kang Lee-seul led with 17 points and North Korean guard Jang Mi-gyong performed with eight assists and five steals, scoring 11 points during the game.
In a brief interview after the game, Jang said the team has built great harmony.
Head coach Lee Moon-kyu echoed the sentiment, saying the chemistry between the players is definitely improving.
"There's only one task for the team, which is to do well in future games," Lee said.
The team was cheered on by supporters sporting white T-shirts with a blue Korean Peninsula, who chanted "We are one Korea" in Korean to rhythmic claps and whacks of balloon sticks, in an exhilarating display of the spirit of unity.
The two Koreas marched together behind the "unification" flag at the Asian Games opening ceremony on Saturday.
They are competing together as a team in women's basketball, rowing and canoeing.
South Korean player Kim Han-byul said the unified team has now established a rhythm. For her, the team is more important than which side of the border the players came from.
"To me, if you wear the same jersey as me, it doesn't matter. We're all the same team. Whether it's North Korea or South Korea, I'm just excited for the opportunity," Kim told reporters after the match.
Koreas defeated Indonesia 108-40 in their first game on Wednesday, but suffered an 87-85 overtime loss to Chinese Taipei on Friday.
Kim said the tough loss was a good lesson and will help them perform better.
They are scheduled to play against Kazakhstan on Tuesday.
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