The South Korea men’s wheelchair basketball team secured a 73-64 victory over Thailand at the IG Arena in Nagoya, Japan, capturing the bronze medal at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Para Games on Oct. 23. The result extends South Korea’s streak of podium finishes in the continental tournament to five consecutive events, dating back to the 2010 Guangzhou Games.
Nagoya IG Arena Bronze Match Secures Fifth Straight Medal
South Korea advanced to the third-place playoff after dropping the semifinal match 39-64 to tournament host Japan. Earlier in the tournament schedule, the team finished second in its group following a 62-67 loss to Iran. Despite missing out on a return to the gold medal game for the first time since the 2014 Incheon Asian Para Games, the squad managed to fend off a late push from Thailand to secure the bronze.
Thailand Builds Early Lead from South Korean Turnovers
Thailand opened the match with a 7-0 run fueled by early South Korean turnovers and perimeter shooting. Chuncheon Tigers shooter Cho Seung-hyun responded with a three-pointer and a close-range basket to narrow the gap, though South Korea trailed 15-21 at the end of the opening quarter.
Defensive breakdowns continued to plague South Korea into the second period as Thailand capitalized on inside-outside opportunities to build a 30-21 lead. Coway Blue Hills player Kim Ho-yong sparked an offensive sequence with a series of mid-range jumpers. Trailing 29-34 with 15 seconds remaining in the half, South Korea called a timeout, which set up a successful interior shot by Kim Sang-yeol of Coway Blue Hills to close the gap to 31-34 at halftime.
While South Korea held advantages in shooting percentage and rebounding through the first two quarters, five early turnovers led directly to crucial points for Thailand.
South Korea Takes Lead After Third Quarter Shifts
Defensive adjustments in the third quarter slowed Thailand’s momentum. Jeju Special Self-Governing Province player Kim Dong-hyun secured consecutive rebounds, setting up field goals by Cho and Kim Sang-yeol that gave South Korea its first lead at 35-34. Cho followed with a sequence of outside shots that stretched the margin to 46-37.
Thailand answered with a pair of free throws before Kwanchai Pimkorn hit back-to-back three-pointers to reclaim a 50-49 lead. Kim Dong-hyun closed the third quarter with a buzzer-beating basket to put South Korea ahead 51-50 heading into the final frame.
In the fourth quarter, Cho Sang-yeol’s mid-range jumper and subsequent shots from Chuncheon Tigers player Lee Byung-jae pushed the lead to 61-54. Cho Seung-hyun converted free throws following a defensive foul, and a subsequent steal led to an uncontested interior basket by Kim Dong-hyun that extended the margin to 65-56 and secured the victory.
Veteran Performances Propel Podium Finish
Cho Seung-hyun finished the match with 18 points and 12 assists, recording a double-double to anchor the offense. Kim Dong-hyun added 16 points and 12 rebounds under the basket to support the winning effort.
The bronze medal maintains the program’s unbroken sequence of podium placements at the regional games since 2010.
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