'The French national team' appeared in Sinchon.
The NH Nonghyup Bank 2025 KXO 3x3 Seoul Sinchon Light Quest was held on the 21st at a special court in front of the Hyundai Department Store Sinchon branch in Seoul. A total of 9 teams were divided into 2 groups for the preliminary round on the 21st and the final winner will be determined through a six-team tournament on the 22nd.
The winning team of the tournament will receive a spot in the FIBA 3x3 Beijing Tongzhou Challenger 2025, which will be held in China this October.
World-class teams have come to Korea. In particular, Kunming from China stood out. The skills of French player Lorenzo Thirouard-Samson, who coordinated with three Chinese players, were particularly impressive. Kunming defeated the favored Sagamihara (Japan) 21-18 in a close first match.
Kunming also performed well against Jump Shot (Singapore) in the second match. It was an intense battle where the outcome was uncertain until the last moments. However, a critical turning point occurred with just one minute left when Lin Ting Xuan injured his ankle and had to exit the game. Although Kunming performed well, they unfortunately lost 18-20 when Lorenzo's attempt at a tying two-pointer failed while trailing by 2 points.
After the game, Lorenzo noted, “There were too many mistakes. I took the last tying shot, but it didn’t go in. My teammates did well, and I need to do better. A good teammate injured his ankle at the end. We couldn’t catch up despite being down by 2 points.”
There was a reason Lorenzo excels. He is a former member of the French national team. He explained, “I played for the U23 France 3x3 team. I am currently also playing in the first division of French 5x5 basketball. I received a good offer from a Chinese team and thought it was a great opportunity, so I’m playing in China.”
Despite being only 24 years old, Lorenzo's mature play is his strength. He plays an excellent role as the control tower, coordinating the entire team. He is wearing an ankle brace on his left ankle. Lorenzo said, “I injured my ankle severely two years ago and wear the brace for safety. I’ve only been in China for a month and a half since staying in France for 5x5 basketball. Still, I want to win.”
The passionate appearance of Korean fans gathered in Sinchon was also impressive. Lorenzo remarked, “This is my first time in Korea. It’s great to play in front of many people. I enjoy seeing overseas fans. It seems that people enjoy our basketball. I also like Korean food, especially street food. I can handle spicy food well.” as he immersed himself in Korean culture.
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