One of the hottest homegrown players in the league these days is Lee Jung-hyun (24‧187cm) of the Goyang Sono Skygunners. Last season as the former Carrot, Sono pulled off a miraculous run to the quarterfinals despite being underdogs. In the playoffs, their main star Jeon Seong-hyun (32‧188.6cm) was not in top form due to the after-effects of an injury, but Lee Jung-hyun, who stepped up alongside foreign player Dedrick Lawson (26‧201cm), was the spearhead.
After his incredible performance, many expected him to step up this season, and he hasn’t disappointed since the start of the season. Sono has struggled with the absence of Lawson, as Jeon’s form hasn’t been as good as it was last season. To make matters worse, their hustle captain Kim Jin-yu, who has been giving the team energy in defense and hustle, is out with an injury.
The losing streak has been long, and there were concerns that the team would continue to slide down the table. However, as of late, Sono has shown signs of recovery, playing their signature archery basketball once again. There are many reasons for this, but a large part of it has to do with Lee Jung-hyun serving as their undisputed homegrown ace. The team has carried over their playoff presence from last season into the regular season.
Through nine games, he’s averaging 20.89 points (7th overall, 1st native), 3.44 rebounds, 7.22 assists (2nd overall), 1.44 steals, and 0.22 blocked shots. It wasn’t too long ago that the consensus was that Sono’s breakout season wouldn’t be as easy as it was last year, not only because of a thinner roster and less objective talent, but also because of the difficulty of filling Lawson’s shoes.
Sono doesn’t have the resources of a starter-level big man to step up under the basket. Coach Kim Seung-ki, who is adept at making the team competitive within its means, opted for archery basketball, with the duo of Jeon Sung-hyun and Lee Jung-hyun at the center. But the most impactful key player was actually Lawson. Lawson quietly guarded the opposing team’s tall foreign player while lonely under the basket, and did his best to move inside and outside on offense.
Above all, he had a good BQ and a wide range of vision, so he took over a lot of leading, which served as a control tower in Sono basketball. The frontcourt of Lee Jung-hyun and Jeon Sung-hyun is a potent offensive combination, but not a strong one in the passing game. Jeon is a typical specialist shooter, while Lee is originally a shooting guard and has only recently been converted to the 1. Moreover, they are dual guards who emphasize offense rather than reading and passing.
In situations where the ball flow could be relatively tight, Lawson did a good job of acting as a second point guard, allowing Sono to maintain a steady flow throughout the game. However, due to unavoidable circumstances, the team was unable to get Lawson, and this was a major setback for the team that had been building up to last season.
Lawson’s power is evident in the DBs that have been winning since he was acquired. But the ace is the one who leads the team to victory no matter what. Coach Kim never stopped encouraging him, saying, “Lee Jung-hyun can do better,” and he is repaying his coach’s faith with results. Not only did he set a new personal record, but he also held the center of the shaky Sono and ran at the forefront as the vanguard of victory.
The match against KCC at the Goyang Sono Arena on the 12th was a testament to how far Lee has come as a player. KCC is a super team with so much power that they were called “Goliath” before the season. In addition to Heo Woong, Lee Seung-hyun, and Jung Chang-young, the team has added Choi Jun-yong and Lee Ho-hyun. Song Gyo-chang will also return from military service.
Foreign player Alize Johnson is also a specialist technician. With an already weak roster and the loss of Kim Jin-yu and main gun Jeon Sung-hyun to injury, Sono seemed to have no answers. Before the match, there was talk of a David and Goliath battle. But Sono had Lee Jung-hyun. He was not afraid of the giant fleet Aegis, which was playing on a new stage in Busan Port.
With so many long guards, Lee Jung-hyun’s size is not a big deal. However, most guards would be mismatched when matched up against Lee Jung-hyun. This is because he overwhelms them in physical battles based on the power he exudes from his solid body. This day was no different. He was matched up with a similarly sized Hwoong, but he used his body to bully his way through and easily clear the space near the post.
When he was matched up with Lee Seung-hyun, he tried to face-up with quick feet and steps, and in the process, he didn’t lose his balance even when he collided with the strong No. 4 Lee Seung-hyun. Lee Seung-hyun’s turnaround jumper, which he quickly drove to the basket and then paused for a moment to shoot, left him helpless. It was the same no matter who was playing against him.
If they were smaller or similar to him, he pressed them with his strength, and if they were much bigger, he used his speed to make a joke of them. If there was a gap in the process, he didn’t hesitate to shoot 3-pointers, not only from the top and corner, but also deep 3s, leaving the KCC defense in a panic. From passing by himself, to using screens, to taking in shots…, it’s not an exaggeration to say that Jeon Sung-hyun is a player with a breakthrough and passing ability.
When he was defended, he made good passes to his open teammates, and his entry passes to foreign player Jerrod Jones in the post were also reliable. In the end, Lee led the team to victory with 29 points (6 three-pointers), 2 rebounds, and 6 assists in an all-around performance. It was a game that epitomized what it means to be an ace.
There’s a certain nostalgia that comes with watching Lee in the playoffs last season and early this season. It’s not just the technique of being evenly matched, it’s the way he creates mismatches with power and speed, eats his opponents’ feet, and keeps his teammates alive with so-called crazy plays. 카지노사이트
Heo was notorious for being the embodiment of victory during his career. Even after he was past his prime, if he was determined to win a game, he would push hard and wreak havoc on the opposing defense. When he came out gritting his teeth, most teams scrambled to stop him, and he was so good at passing that he often set up his teammates with quality passes. He was a nightmare for opponents when he was excited or angry.
This is the current Lee Jung-hyun. He’s still got a long way to go, but he’s got a lot of the same traits: a solid body, explosive athleticism, a strong competitive spirit, and a big heart. Before his rookie injury, Kim Min-koo had the talent to be the best guard since Heo Jae, but he was more of a sneering basketball tutor than a wild horse like Heo Jae.
Lee Jung-hyun, on the other hand, feels like an untamed beast, galloping all over the court. It won’t be easy for Lee to do what he’s doing all season long. Sono’s lineup relies heavily on him, and opponents will no doubt continue to try and find his weaknesses. If he can overcome that and continue to grow, we may be looking at the ’21st century Heejae’.