2013 FIBA Asia Championship: Korea recovers against Chinese Taipei, books final World Cup berth

South Korea overwhelmed Chinese Taipei on Sunday, coming out with a 75-57 win to finish third in the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship, Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

With the bronze finish, Korea assures itself of an appearance at the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain. Korea also finished third in the 2011 FIBA Asia Championship, then at the expense of the Philippines, 70-68.

Korea started the game with a 10-3 blast, before Tsai Wen Cheng  scored to stop the bleeding for Chinese Taipei. The Koreans responded with another run, as a pair of Cho Sungmin free throws established a 12-point spread, 19-7.

A pair of Yoon Ho-Young baskets ended the period with Korea ahead by 16, 29-13.

Chinese Taipei had trouble trimming the Korean lead, as treys from Cho and Kim Tae-Sool bumped their buffer up to 19 at the 3:57 mark, 42-23. Another bucket from Lee Jonghyun established a 21-point advantage for Korea, before Tseng Wen-Ting and Quincy Davis III brought the lead down to 17, 44-27.

Twin treys from Kim Joo Sung and Kim Mingoo ended the half with Korea still ahead by 21, 50-29.

Tsai and the rest of the Taiwanese squad looked to mount a comeback early in the third, as got within 15 at the 5:49 mark, 50-45. A pair of Yang Donggeun free throws, followed by two Korean three-pointers, re-established their 21-point spread soon after though. A Mingoo Kim trey stretched that to 24, before Tien Lei strung points together to end the third with Chinese Taipei still behind, 61-44.

Quincy Davis III tried to spark one last run for Chinese Taipei, as he scored three points to open the fourth, but Kim Mingoo and Kim Tae-Sool made sure that the Korean lead was secure, with Chinese Taipei never threatening to come any closer than 18 points the rest of the way.

Kim Mingoo led Korea with 21 points, four boards and three assists along with five three-pointers. Kim Joo-Sung and Cho Sung Min added 12 and 11, respectively.

Lu Cheng-Ju led Chinese Taipei with 13 points off the bench, while Quincy Davis III registered 12 points. No other Taiwanese player posted points in double figures.  - RAF, GMA News