“Even though more than a year had passed, it wasn’t awkward at all (laughs).”
Changwon LG won 97-85 in the Group B match of the 2023 MG Saemaeul Geumgo KBL Cup against Daegu Korea Gas Corporation held at Gunsan Wolmyeong Gymnasium on the 11th.
The biggest contributor to the victory was Yang Jun-seok. He played 22 minutes and 45 seconds and recorded 9 points, 2 rebounds and 7 assists. Above all, it was impressive in that it completely filled the gap left by ‘JD4’ Lee Jae-do’s injury.
Yang Jun-seok said after the game, “I believed that we would get good results as we prepared hard. Looking at the team alone, we were a little weak in the rebounding department that coach (Cho Sang-hyun) ordered. “After the game, (Lee) Kwan-hee talked about rebounding and I think there will be a better performance in the next game.”
Yang Jun-seok’s shooting and passing are strengths that have already been recognized since his high school and college days. However, there were question marks regarding the defense. However, Yang Jun-seok’s defense in the Korea Gas Corporation match was flawless. He did not miss his defense and neutralized the attack pattern even in Korea Gas Corporation’s 2-on-2 play.
Yang Jun-seok said, “The first thing the coach orders is defense. “He emphasizes that if there is a hole in the team’s defense, he cannot play, so I am concentrating on that every moment,” he said. “I know that if the team concedes a goal because of me, the atmosphere will be very down. That’s why I try to follow along as much as possible. “My brothers are also supporting me with good defense from behind, so things are getting better.”
LG’s early keywords this season are Lee Jae-do and Yang Jun-seok. Lee Jae-do, who has a hand injury, is highly likely to miss the beginning of the season. His record of consecutive appearances is also in jeopardy. It is a risk factor for LG, but with Yang Jun-seok, there is no major worry. If Lee Jae-do is not in good condition, Yang Jun-seok’s playing time will naturally increase.
Yang Jun-seok said, “I am worried, burdened, and excited. Even in the Philippines, there were many times when Lee Jae-do and I competed separately. “If I show what I have prepared since then in the game, I think there will be good results,” he said.
Lee Jae-do and Yang Jun-seok are different types of point guards. If Jae-do Lee has a first-attack mentality, Yang Jun-seok has a first-pass mentality. If both players can take advantage of each other, they become perfect point guards.
Yang Jun-seok said, “I feel Jae-do’s shooting, especially the jumper using the backboard, is amazing every time I see it. He is also trying to follow Jaedo’s body management, especially watching him take care of his body first before training. He responded positively, saying, “I’m really learning a lot and I think it will be helpful in my future professional life.”
Yang Jun-seok, the first overall pick in the 2022 KBL rookie draft, was unable to properly play the 2022-23 season due to an injury suffered during college. This year is the first time we have prepared for the off-season and regular season in normal condition.
Yang Jun-seok said, “Every day is so much fun. Although he was unable to participate in the Yanggu training camp, he felt his improvement as he worked out and played every day in the Philippines. “It was rewarding and it was fun,” he said. “It was really fun to play because I played with older메이저사이트 guys who were so good. “Of course, he has a lot of things to adjust to, but I believe he will do better.”
Yang Jun-seok suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his knee during a college league game against Sungkyunkwan University in April last year. The injury was serious enough that he had to undergo a long recovery and rehabilitation. He has now recovered and showed good performance, but we cannot help but worry about the trauma of the injury.
Regarding this, Yang Jun-seok said, “There is no problem at all now. He doesn’t feel any pain as he continues to exercise, but he is managing it as best as he can. The trainers take good care of me, so I don’t have to worry about getting injured. He was confident that he had no problems playing in the game.”
Meanwhile, Yang Jun-seok teamed up with his college classmate and best friend Yu Yu-sang in an official match for the first time in a year and a half. Even though quite a long time had passed, there was no problem at all with the two players’ breathing.
Yang Jun-seok said, “Even though more than a year had passed, it wasn’t awkward at all when we played together. I really liked that. “(Yoo) Ki-sang was exactly where I passed,” he said. “Of course, rather than focusing on the two of us, it should be tailored to the team. “I think it will get better in the future,” he said with a smile.
He said, “I talk to Kisang a lot. We always talk about basketball, both on and off the court. Since I joined the team a year earlier, I know more about what the coach wants, so I’m trying to tell him more. “I am also learning from my older brothers,” he said. “We also often talk about things other than basketball. “We have a lot of personal conversations, and I think it’s coming out in a positive way,” he added.
Although they are teammates now, Yang Jun-seok and Yoo Yu-sang are competitors for the Rookie of the Year award. However, Yang Jun-seok did not reveal any of his greed for personal awards. Rather, “It’s something that people around me talk about a lot, but I have no personal greed. When he gets on the court with that kind of greed, he tends to have trouble concentrating. “I am only focusing on basketball and hoping for the team to win,” he said, showing his maturity.