Coach Ahn Joon-ho, who won the game, expressed satisfaction.
South Korea met Japan 85-84 in the 2024 Softbank Cup warm-up match held at Ariake Arena in Tokyo on the 5th. 동행복권파워볼
Korea started off a bit shaky. It was because it allowed three-pointers in a row. Ha Yoon-ki showed off his presence under the basket, but failed to take the lead early in the game. Korea gained strength in the second quarter. It worked hard on defensive rebounding. After the successful defense, he displayed fast attack. He led the mood by adding extra points on the outside. The players finished the first half 46-35.
Lee Jung-hyun, who performed very well in the second quarter, continued his performance in the third quarter. With other players’ performances added, Korea widened the gap even further. The Korean team used “trange strike” to lead the team. The gap widened to 20 points.
Korea faced a crisis in the fourth quarter. It made consecutive mistakes under pressure from opponents, which resulted in lost points. Japan, which also scored on its outskirts, quickly narrowed the gap. Korea lost its chance.
But at the most important moment, Korea displayed its concentration. Lee Jung-hyun scored a decisive mid-range goal. He tied the game. In the final defense, Ha Yoon-ki induced an opponent’s foul during a rebound contest. He made a free throw and won the game.
Korean coach Ahn Jun-ho, who won the match, commented, “I didn’t have enough time to prepare. I haven’t seen my physical strength increase yet. I overcame the heavy pressure of the match between Korea and Japan. I think I won the match with my mental strength. I am proud of that.”
“I was physically behind in the fourth quarter. I was able to prepare well in the beginning. However, I was able to score a lot due to lack of physical stamina. As a result, I was able to score a lot of points due to lack of physical stamina. In the next game, I need to supplement that part. I need to supplement my physical stamina and defense outside. On the other hand, I need to take what went well.”
“I played today with the spirit of breaking and brewing. I have no background. (Laughs) I just threw away the rice cooker without thinking about coming back. The players were so good to me,” he said in four-character idioms.
Despite the away game, Korea had a meaningful victory. “It is very meaningful that young players had such experience. It is not advantageous to have such an away game. There were many spectators. It will be a valuable experience.”