개막 후 4연승 이끈 ‘슈퍼 에이스’ 이정현 무릎 부상 ‘전력 이탈’ 임동섭·김민욱 등 토종 선수 활약에 ‘고졸 루키’ 이근준에 기대
Lim Dong-seop (left) and Kim Min-wook of the Goyang Sono professional basketball team. Provided by Goyang Sono
While Goyang Sono was aiming to advance to the round of 6 playoffs (PO) in the ‘2024-2025 KCC Professional Basketball’, they were faced with a major negative news, the injury of ‘Super Ace’ Lee Jeong-hyun.
Sono, led by coach Seung-gi Kim, created a sensation by taking the lead with 4 consecutive wins in the opening game, but has recently fallen into a slump of 3 consecutive losses and is down to 5th place with 5 wins and 5 losses.
The main reason is that Jeong-Hyun Lee, who played a key role in the offense and defense this season, ranked first in the league in interceptions per game with an average of 2.5, second in 3-pointers made (2.5), and sixth in average scoring (18.9 points), missing due to injury.
Lee Jeong-hyeon’s return is expected to be in January of next year, and foreign players Alan Williams and Lee Jae-do are expected to lead the team until then. Williams ranks first in the league in rebounds (12.9 per game) and fourth in scoring (19.2 points), while Jae-do Lee ranks third in 3-pointers (average of 2.3) and fifth in assists (5.3).
In addition, Sono is looking forward to the performance of backup members such as Lim Dong-seop and Kim Min-wook (forwards), who newly joined the team this season, so they plan to give them more playing time. The plan is to fill the void of Lee Jeong-hyun, who was the main scorer, with Lim Dong-seop and Kim Min-wook, who have good shooting skills.
Coach Kim Seung-gi said, “Lim Dong-seop and Kim Min-wook have not played many games with their previous teams, so they lack practical sense,” and added, “We are training them with an emphasis on getting a feel for them quickly. “Both of them have decent shooting abilities, so I’m looking forward to their scoring ability,” he said.
In addition, Coach Kim said that the timing of the introduction of players selected in the rookie draft held on the 15th will be accelerated. While players who can take a shot at open opportunities are needed, it is believed that high school graduate rookies Lee Geun-jun (forward) and Kim Do-eun (guard), who were selected with the second overall pick, are the right candidates.
Another promising player, Seo Dong-won, is in poor condition with his hamstring, and Jeong Seong-jo is in poor condition with his shoulder, so plans are being made to bring him in around January.
Sono, who is aiming for the semifinals this season, is pinning his hopes on ‘gum basketball’ to see if he can overcome the negative news of Lee Jeong-hyun’s injury and achieve his dream based on the performance and organizational skills of his backup players.
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