Ha Yun-ki (24, 204 cm) was as strong as his nickname, the Hulk, and his stamina was no problem.
Suwon KT won 92-89 in the fifth round of the 2023-2024 Korean Professional Basketball League at the Goyang Sono Arena on Friday.
With the win, KT extended its winning streak to five games against Sono, proving once again that the two teams have been nemeses this season. Not only that, but they also consolidated their sole possession of second place by pulling away from third-place LG and took home the spoils to keep pace with first-place DB.
Prior to their Game 5 meeting, KT was averaging 37.8 rebounds per game against Sono while giving up 29.5. Game 5 was no different. With Ha Yoon-ki at the helm, the team dominated possessions and held the advantage in second-chance points (12-6) and fast break points (22-9) to secure the win.
KT harassed SONO early in the game with their offensive options of Ha Yoon-ki and Paris Bass, with Ha Yoon-ki making her presence felt by scoring all of her points in the first half, even under the basket where Chinanu Onuaku was solid. Thanks to Ha’s competitiveness in the paint zone, KT was able to close the gap on Sono to end the half.
With 10 points and five rebounds in the first half, Ha soared even higher in the second half. He was the one who scored the game-winning basket, and he was also the one who pulled away from Sono. From the start of the game until the final buzzer sounded, Ha Yun-ki quietly played his part and made the bench smile.
He finished with 25 points, eight rebounds, and two assists in 40 minutes of action.
After the game, Ha said, “We had a lot of turnovers in the first half and our offense and defense didn’t work. After the first half, we were able to raise our spirits and focus to secure the win. It feels good,” he said of the victory.
Coach Song Young-jin also expressed his disappointment in the postgame interview, saying that the players’ mental strength and physical fitness were not good in the first half. Ha Yoon-ki agreed.
“He pointed out the ridiculous turnovers and rebounds we were giving away. The coach was a little angry. But he calmed the players down before the start of the second half.”
Ha was the only player on both teams to play a full game. Despite not playing many games in Round 5, Ha averaged 39 minutes and 2 seconds per game.
This could be interpreted as a player who is indispensable to 바카라사이트 the team and who the coaching staff trusts the most. However, with each passing round, Ha’s playing time has steadily increased. The physical demands on his body cannot be ignored.
“When I train, I go easy (laughs). So I don’t have much of a problem with my physical strength,” he smiled.
Recently, Ha was honored to be included in the final 12-man roster of the South Korean men’s basketball team led by coach Ahn Jun-ho. Ha Yun-ki has shown his offensive prowess on the international stage with his natural athleticism and physicality. This is why he has been called the next pillar of the national team, following in the footsteps of Oh Se-geun and Kim Jong-kyu.
Ha said, “It’s great to be named to the national team. I’m also looking forward to teaming up with Lee Jung-hyun of Goyang Sono. Above all, I’ll have to work hard. The coach hasn’t told me anything else about the national team.”