“We will continue to work hard to make basketball fun”
Asan Samseong won 18-16 against Cheongdam W in Group A of the U13 Division 1 of the 2023 WKBL Women’s Basketball Club League at Chang’an University Gymnasium on Thursday. Holding off a late rally and celebrating at the end.
Playing with five players, 토토 Asan Samseong dominated their opponents from the first quarter. They effectively broke down the zone defense and steadily accumulated points.
The team remained focused until the middle of the second quarter. They were able to break through the tenacious defense and score.
However, Cheongdam W fought back strongly at the end of the second quarter. Cheongdam W defended under the basket, and after a defensive rebound, they drove to the basket. With 59.3 seconds left in the game, they pulled within two points.
Asan Samseong, which had been struggling with stamina issues, made a push before the game-ending buzzer. They utilized space passes to kill time and stopped the opponent’s fast break. It was a two-point victory.
As Asan Samsung captain Lee Ji-yu said after the game, “I didn’t win alone. I was able to win because I was with my teammates. We only had five players on the roster. It wasn’t easy to stay focused until the end due to physical problems. The beginning of the match was easy. I didn’t have any fitness problems. In the middle of the second quarter, I started to struggle,” he said.
“We originally prepared for this tournament with eight players. However, my third-year sisters had to drop out due to exams. After realizing that we had to play with five, we increased our physical strength. We went from playing basketball three times a week to more than five times a week,” she added.
Lee has been participating in the WKBL Girls Basketball Club competition since she was in second grade. However, this is her first tournament in three years due to COVID-19 and personal circumstances.
“I don’t expect much from this tournament. I’m hoping for a runner-up finish. I’ve participated in WKBL tournaments many times, but I haven’t won a title yet. I don’t have a lot of experience in big tournaments,” he said, adding, “I’m keeping Woori Bank in check. I have a lot of friends at Woori Bank. I know they’re very good, and it’s going to be a tough match.”
“We need to build our physical strength first. We need to work on our shooting and fundamentals. My shooting is very poor. I’m going to change my shooting form. I’m also trying to improve my layup percentage.”
Finally, she said, “I’m grateful that my friends support me even if I get angry when I play. I will try not to get angry. I will focus on teamwork with my friends. I will work hard so that I can enjoy playing basketball in the future,” he concluded the interview.