Basketball captain says criticism brought team closer

As losses piled up for the men's national basketball team in the weeks leading up to the Asian Games, so did criticism of the squad. Fans and pundits alike wondered if Korea, coached by the Latvian Nikolajs Mazurs, had what it takes to reach the podium at the Asian Games in Japan this month. With each passing game here, though, Korea has been authoring a new narrative. Mazurs' team ran the table in the group phase, highlighted by a convincing, 100-83 win over Japan in the finale, and then hammered Jordan 114-80 in the quarterfinals Wednesday. Following the latest victory at Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, Korean captain Lee Seoung-hyun said the team under Mazurs is just rounding into form. "I think it took us a while to get on the same page and start playing the brand of basketball the coach wanted," Lee said. "Along the way, the coach always respected us so much and allowed us to do our things. And we are finally executing his game plans. Our confidence is running high." Korea was in need of some confidence ahead of the Asian Games. It lost the first three games with Mazurs in char