Lee Hyun-jung (25, Illawarra) maintained the pride of the super ace.
The men's basketball national team, led by coach Ahn Jun-ho, defeated their rival Japan 91-77 in a friendly match held at Anyang Gymnasium at 7 p.m. on the 11th. Korea will have a second match against Japan on the 13th.
Lee Hyun-jung and Yoo Jun-seok, two tall overseas forwards, shone. Lee Hyun-jung exploded with a team-high 25 points, knocking down four three-pointers each time the team faced a challenge. In particular, the energy he displayed when driving to the basket to earn a basket count after Korea fell behind was impressive.
Yoo Jun-seok recorded 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists, including a dunk for victory at the end of the fourth quarter. The two overseas players played a crucial role in overwhelming Japan.
After the game, Lee Hyun-jung said, "Rather than winning a rivalry match, I got the victory I wanted. The desired style of basketball came out in the second half. It's still the first game, and I've only been in Korea for a week. I'm happy to win while adjusting to the concept. My condition is always good. I have no excuses for joining late. Even if I had arrived yesterday, I would have played with the same attitude. That's the attitude of a basketball player."
Lee Hyun-jung also voiced his leadership in the locker room. Korea ended the first half behind. Lee Hyun-jung said, "Japan grabbed 7 offensive rebounds in the first half. The rotation didn’t work. I raised my voice in the locker room. Kim Jong-kyu and Lee Seung-hyun listen to the younger players. The coach also allows us to talk among ourselves. I’m glad we adjusted well in the second half."
The play between Yoo Jun-seok and Lee Hyun-jung also stood out. The two studied together at the Australian NBA Global Academy. Lee Hyun-jung said, "We know each other well. We connect without words. The reason why I can play well with Jun-seok is that other players have made sacrifices in ways that aren’t visible. Sun-woo Jeong and Jung-hyun Lee applied pressure up front, while Seung-hyun Lee set screens for us. I want to thank all the players."
Korea surpassed Japan with 18 three-pointers. Besides Lee Hyun-jung, Yoo Gi-sang and Lee Jung-hyun each contributed 5. Lee Hyun-jung confidently stated, "I shoot without thinking and take chances when there are opportunities. I had confidence that it would go in before I even thought about it. Everyone shot with confidence because we had a strong trust in each other."
Despite being the ace, he worked the hardest on defense. In particular, the scene where Lee Hyun-jung fell while causing a turnover and then sprinted down the court to intercept was impressive. Lee Hyun-jung said, "As a basketball player, I shouldn’t rest on the court. I could have made a layup, but since I missed it, I ran without thinking, determined to regain possession."
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