Kim Jung-hyun (21, 187 centimeters) showed signs of improvement with a blooming effort.
Kookmin University won 62-57 at home against Hanyang University of the 2024 KUSF College Basketball U-League at the Kookmin University Global Campus Gymnasium on Nov. 9.
The game also marked the real debut of Kim Jung-hyun, who joined KU after a tough start to his career. After playing just 12 seconds in the opening game against Myeongji University, 텍사스홀덤사이트 Kim played 11 minutes and 48 seconds to energize the team.
Setting the tone in the first quarter, Kim finished with seven points, two rebounds, two assists, and two steals on one three-pointer and a jumper. Playing in front of his fans for the first time in a long time must have been a new and different feeling.
“I didn’t have any game sense or physical strength because I took a year off, so it was very difficult,” Kim said after the victory.
One of Kim’s strengths is his confident outside shot. However, on this day, Kim was nervous in front of many fans, and he missed a lot of free throws.
Facing Kim for the first time, the Hanyang players also tried a sagging defense, which is used against players with relatively weak shots. After a series of missed shots, Kim was selflessly looking for his teammates rather than actively attacking.
“It was my first appearance and my first time playing in front of a large crowd, so it was hard to get a good shot (laughs). I was playing sagging defense because I was inexperienced, which hurt my pride. I think I need to practice shooting more in the future,” he said, predicting improvement.
KU head coach Hwang Jun-sam was pleased with Kim’s performance after the game. Although his shots weren’t falling, he made an impact in many ways, including his energy level and hustle.
“Coach told me to be confident in my offense, and since I’m a first-year player, I tried to focus on defense and rebounding,” Kim said.
“Actually, there is nothing that went well today. I have a lot of things to work on. My shots weren’t going in, so it didn’t matter. I think I need to practice shooting more personally,” she added.
Currently, KU has many guards with strong individual styles, including Kim Do-yeon and Cho Hwan-hee. Kim Jung-hyun also needs to quickly integrate into KU’s basketball program and grow as one of them.
Finally, Kim said, “I’m learning a lot by watching my older brothers play. My strengths are that I can play guard, I’m tall, and I can pass. I want to establish myself as a player who knows basketball well in the future,” he concluded the interview.