A crazy night at the Asian Cup! Japan has been eliminated, and three teams from two groups have made it to the quarter-finals, with China's men's basketball team knowing their opponent.

On August 13, Beijing time, the qualifiers for the men's basketball Asian Cup quarter-finals concluded. In the final showdown, the Japanese men's basketball team faced off against Lebanon. After four intense quarters, the Japanese team suffered a crushing defeat, losing 73-97 to Lebanon and being sent home. Consequently, the eight teams for this tournament have been finalized, showcasing a clear trend: it’s noteworthy that three teams from both Group A and Group D advanced, while Group B and C each had one team make it to the quarter-finals, which is quite remarkable!

The Japanese men's basketball team faced Lebanon. This time, Japan did not call up any NBA players, yet still ranked second on the strength chart, which seemed a bit inflated. However, they fell to Iran in the group stage, landing in second place. Lebanon, the runner-up from the previous tournament, ranked fifth on the strength chart and lost two games in the group stage to Australia and South Korea, finishing third in their group. According to the rules, these two teams battled for a spot in the quarter-finals. In their head-to-head record, Lebanon has a clear advantage, leading 5-1. Despite Lebanon missing Araki, they were still not expected to win against this Japanese team!

Once the game started, Lebanon was well-prepared, focusing on strengthening their defense and limiting Japan's outside shooting percentage. They quickly took control of the game, with the point gap steadily increasing. In the fourth quarter, Japan managed only 9 points, and ultimately, Lebanon had five players scoring in double digits, achieving a resounding victory over Japan and advancing to the quarter-finals. Seeing Lebanon defeat the Japanese men's basketball team raises questions about why they lost to South Korea in the group stage—it seems a bit puzzling, perhaps intentionally to avoid facing the Chinese men’s basketball team. In contrast, Japan's performance was disappointing; not making it to the quarter-finals while being second on the strength chart is truly embarrassing!

After the South Korean men's basketball team eliminated Guam, the opponent for the Chinese men's basketball team in the quarter-finals has been confirmed: they will face their old rivals, South Korea. The match is scheduled for the 14th at 19:00, a great prime viewing time. This is a key battle, as South Korea is very strong in three-point shooting, and we must keep a close watch on them, striving to defeat the opponent and reach the semi-finals. Let's go!

By/ Sports Novel