Asian Games champions South Korea trounced India 121-76 here on Thursday for their third straight win at the 22nd Asian Men's Basketball Championship.

South Korea will join Kazakhstan, Iran and Qatar in the quarter- final Group II as top finishers from preliminary Group B.

The South Koreans, who upset China to win the Asian Games title in Busan in 2002, were just too much for India. They raced to a 27-15 lead after the first quarter and improved to 59-29 at the half time.

Ha Seung-jin, the 2.20-meter center, turned out to be the only unhappy man from the South Korean side after their easy victory.  The 18-year-old was ejected early in the second half after receiving his fifth foul call in five minutes and 53 seconds of play.

 Ha, who finished with seven points, four rebounds, four blocks and one assist, spent the rest of the match on the bench, burying his face in towel.

"He is under too much pressure, because he is now playing with players who are much older and more experienced than him," said South Korean head coach Chun Chang-jin. "I will talk with him tonight."

Chun believed South Korea had the ability to beat defending champions China to win the title here and a ticket to the Athens Olympics in 2004.

"I believe we have the ability to do it," he said.

Yang Hee-seung made five three-pointers to lead six South Koreans in double digits with 19 points. South Korea were 20-of- 40 from beyond the arch.

Desraj had a game-high 23 points for India. Parminder Singh and S. Robinson added 16 and 15 points respectively.

The Indians finished second of Group B with two wins against one loss. They will play Lebanon, China and Japan in the quarter- final group I.

Earlier on Thursday, Lebanon beat Uzbekistan 88-60 to win Group A ahead of Kazakhstan, 86-82 winners over Hong Kong, China.

 Qatar defeated Japan 68-47 to finish first of Group D with three straight wins. Japan had to settle for the second with two wins and one loss.

Top two finishers from the two quarter-final groups will enter the semi-final.

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