Defending champion Korea University is cruising with five straight wins in the early part of the season.
Korea University, which ranked first in the regular league last season, defeated Kyung Hee University 90-73 in the quarterfinals of the playoffs and advanced to the semifinals. The opponent in the semifinals is Dankook University. It wasn’t difficult. They won by 15 points, 79-64, and advanced to the long-awaited finals, where they faced their eternal rival, Yonsei University. The result was Korea University’s 60-57, a thrilling victory by 3 points. They once again proved that they are the best on the college stage by winning the regular league and playoff championships.
The 2024 season is also off to a smooth start. Korea University, which defeated Hanyang University 81-51 in the opening game, defeated Myongji University 96-55 and won two games in a row. Afterwards, they continued their winning streak by defeating Konkuk University 76-54 and 67-62 in back-to-back games, and on the 27th, they defeated Myongji University 93-61 to rise to sole first place with 5 consecutive wins.
‘Multi-forward’ Lee Dong-geun is leading the attack, scoring double digits with 16.25 points, guard Moon Yoo-hyeon with 18 points, and freshman Seok Jun-hwi with 10.25 points. Park Jeong-hwan, who is recording 9.33 points, is supporting him. Lee Dong-geun also recorded double-digit rebounds with 10.75, while Moon Yoo-hyun recorded 5.5 rebounds, Park Jun-hyung recorded 5.67 rebounds, and Yoo Min-su recorded 4.5 rebounds.
The assists are led by Moon Yoo-hyun and Park Jeong-hwan. 4.33 and 5.75 units are being produced, respectively. Lee Dong-geun follows with three.
Coach Kim Tae-hyung, who is leading the team in the absence of coach Joo Hee-jung, said, “Actually, it is a difficult situation because there are many injured players. I had worries and burdens. But the players are doing well. “We passed 5 games with not bad performance,” he said.
Coach Kim continued, “I think the quick attack development is better than last year. As we move into the second half, there are times when I lose concentration. It also allows ridiculous turnovers and rebounds. It’s part of the game. There must be improvement. It can become a habit. “He continues to place orders,” he said.
Korea University’s fourth-year players are currently out of the lineup due to injuries. Yang Jun, Kim Tae-hoon, Park Jun-hyung, and Kim Do-eun are suffering from minor injuries. Coach Kim said, “Junhyung seems to have the biggest gap. He grabbed almost all the rebounds. The players seem to be confused. He has good wingspan and great will. Yang Jun-do said, “At his height, Tae-hoon sees gaps in defense and 3-point shooting.”
Also, Coach Kim said of Lee Dong-geun, who is active with a double-double, “He is working hard even in difficult situations. He is ordering several things and needs to do more. He feels pressure, but he is coping well. “He is reassuring,” he said.
Regarding the guard lineup consisting of Moon Yoo-hyun and Park Jung-hwan, “I think Yoo-hyeon is becoming Korea University’s ace. He is so good across offense and defense. He is on his way to becoming a top player at the college level. Jeonghwan has a lot of positive greed. We talk a lot about becoming a guard who takes advantage of good players. He is being developed into an orthodox point guard. “Coexistence between the two players is my homework,” he said.
Top guard Seok Jun-hwi from Anyang High School joined Korea University this season. It’s doing as expected.
Coach Kim said, “In one word, it’s good. He has talent. He seems to need to know how to take advantage of his fellow players. He intends to raise it to number 1. “I keep scolding them and teaching them,” he said.
Coach Kim also said, “The players are putting in a lot of effort overall. Since we have a lot of people to operate, we are trying to make it a habit to prepare even on the bench. It emphasizes how to concentrate for 10 or 20 minutes. Because it’s the same in pros. It doesn’t happen overnight. It must become a habit. It also talks a lot about internal competition. There is a difference between being friendly and competing.
Lastly, Coach Kim said, “He is currently playing at about 50 to 60% of his power. I think it will be 100% when the injured player returns. Overall, because he is young, there are times when he plays erratically. I think time will solve the problem. Still, I wish the defense would be a little tighter. He concluded the interview by saying, “I think then he will get closer to winning.”
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