Yeo Jun-seok (23, University of Seattle) once again showcased his talent by maneuvering around the Japanese defense.
The men's basketball national team, led by Coach Ahn Jun-ho, won 84-69 against Japan in the second evaluation match for the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 held at Anyang Gymnasium on the afternoon of 13th at 2:30 p.m.
With this, Korea has defeated Japan again after the first match, finishing both games of the doubleheader with victories. In the first match held on the 11th, the national team also triumphed over Japan with a score of 91-77, supported by the performance of overseas forward Lee Hyun-jung and Yeo Jun-seok. In the second match, they had a commanding lead until the third quarter, but were somewhat disappointed with their focus in the fourth quarter, settling for a 15-point victory.
On this day, Korea fielded the same starting five as in the first match: Lee Hyun-jung, Ahn Young-jun, Lee Jeong-hyun, Yeo Jun-seok, and Lee Seung-hyun. Meanwhile, Japan had some changes. Kaisei Taibesu, Ren Kanetsuka, Daichi Nakamura, Josh Hawkinson, and Yuto Kawashima stepped onto the court first. Compared to the first match, Yudai Nishida and Akira Jacobs took the place of two players.
The match was consistently dominated by Korea. From the beginning, they troubled the Japanese defense with Lee Hyun-jung's outside shots and Yeo Jun-seok's drives, and with contributions from Lee Jeong-hyun and Kang Sang-jae, they finished the third quarter at 76-44. In the final quarter, they allowed some chasing from the opponents while utilizing various players, but it was a one-sided victory.
On this day, Yeo Jun-seok led the Korean offense alongside Lee Hyun-jung, who recorded 19 points and 12 rebounds, contributing 15 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists. After the game, Yeo Jun-seok noted, "I felt much improved defensively compared to the first match. I tried to focus more on rebounding as the coach suggested. The synergy with the older players is also getting better, which is positive. I will strive to show an even better performance next week."
Yeo Jun-seok also demonstrated good synergy with Lee Hyun-jung. He said, "If I were to pick the player who performs best on the team, Hyun-jung is definitely included. Nevertheless, having such a player hustle and slide around brings a lot of positive influence to the team. Other players also think, 'I need to work harder.' This also significantly raises the energy level."
Yeo Jun-seok left for the U.S. in 2022 and enrolled at Gonzaga University, a prestigious NCAA institution, but faced challenges in competition and transferred to the University of Seattle this year. Like Lee Hyun-jung, Yeo Jun-seok is living overseas. He stated, "I took a different path than Hyun-jung, but I have gained many unique experiences. I realized that communication is the most important aspect. Personally, I think my perimeter defense has improved compared to the past. But I still have a long way to go."
He also mentioned Lee Jeong-hyun and Yoo Gi-sang. When the discussion of the national team's ace arose, Yeo Jun-seok replied, "Hyun-jung, Jeong-hyun, and (Yoo) Gi-sang are all players who perform exceptionally well when they find their rhythm. There’s no need to specify who the ace is, but I believe those three are at the top."
During the first match, Yeo Jun-seok experienced cramps. He expressed, "I was most concerned about whether my body could handle more than 30 minutes of play. The last time I played over 30 minutes was four years ago. While practicing, the coach and trainers have been giving me a lot of playing time. I adapted through that. I think after experiencing cramps in the first game, I became more mindful of it," he said with a smile.
He added, "The game today was fine. The trainers said that eating two bananas prevents cramps. So, I ate two and it worked out well."
Having successfully wrapped up the two matches against Japan, Yeo Jun-seok said, "Overall, our defense was excellent. We didn't lose focus throughout all quarters, and the older players worked hard. It seems like everyone, including myself, is starting to recognize our individual roles more. I shot some forced tough shots in the first match, but I believe it’s right to play a style that supports players like (Lee) Hyun-jung and (Lee) Jeong-hyun, who have good shooting senses. My role is to push in transition and grab rebounds to energize the older players."
Now Korea will undergo a brief period of reorganization before facing Qatar for the final rehearsal for the Asia Cup on the 18th and 20th. Yeo Jun-seok remarked, "I was eager, but I thought I shouldn’t overdo it. I particularly made many clumsy mistakes in the first match and pushed too hard. There were slight clumsy parts in this match too. I want to return with a more developed version of myself in the next match against Qatar."
Yeo Jun-seok, affectionately referred to as the 'youngest' who has been eagerly integrating into the team to the extent that Coach Ahn Jun-ho described it as 'physical bonding,' said, "I feel that communication with the older players is the most important. Although I'm the youngest, I often communicate that it seems I need to defend more. Then, when the older players give me guidance, I try hard to follow through, especially in areas like rebounding."
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