Manager Seo Dong-cheol launched a ‘small lineup’, which served as a stepping stone to escaping the losing streak.
Suwon KT met Seoul Samsung in the 2022-2023 SKT A-Dot professional basketball regular season game held at Jamsil Indoor Gymnasium on the 19th and won 77-66.
KT had a major change ahead of this season. Existing ace Heo Hoon (180cm, G) left the team and recruited new foreign players. However, both players were below expectations and both foreign players were replaced during the season. New recruits Jarrod Jones (206cm, C) and Lester Prosper (204cm, C) were recruited. Both players had advantages on the perimeter, and the recruitment effect appeared quickly.
Since signing the two players, they have won all of their first six matches. The performance of the two foreign players was also good, but Yang Hong-seok (195cm, F) and Ha Yun-ki (204cm, C) showed greater power by utilizing the wide space. In particular, Ha Yoon-gi reported double-digit scores in all but one of the last eight games. Now, the opposing teams also started to check Ha Yoon-ki.
However, on this day, Ha Yoon-gi only scored 5 points and 4 rebounds in 14 minutes. The first half was good, but the second half was not good, and KT coach Seo Dong-cheol boldly presented a small lineup. And that choice worked. The core of the small lineup was Kim Dong-wook (193cm, F), who replaced Ha Yoon-gi.
Ha Yoon-ki, who started as the starting pitcher, showed his presence under the goal from the first quarter. He didn’t score many goals. But the impact he made on the offense was great.
In offense, he scored the first goal of the game with a free throw. After that, he added a second chance score. And just before the end of the quarter, he reported a buzzer beater with a mid-range score. He continued his unseen devotion to screen-accurate.
On defense, he pressed the player who came under the goal with precise timing. Thanks to Ha Yoon-gi’s defense, KT allowed only 6 points to the opponent from under the goal in the first quarter. Thanks to Ha Yoon-gi’s performance, KT finished the first quarter with 29-12.
However, 12 seconds into the second quarter, Ha Yun-ki committed his third personal foul, and Ha Yun-ki was forced to go to the bench. Later, Lee Doo-won (204cm, C) appeared, but Ha Yoon-gi could not help but feel the void. As Ha Yoon-gi fell, KT lost strength in karate and defense. In particular, unlike the first quarter, he gave 14 points only under the goal.
Ha Yoon-gi took to the court as a starter in the third quarter. However, he did not show the same performance in the first quarter. In particular, he had a chance in attack, but he also showed hesitation. As Ha Yoon-gi’s performance decreased, his score gap quickly closed. The score gap was narrowed to 1 point.
In response, coach Seo called Ha Yoon-ki to the bench and put in Kim Dong-wook. Kim Dong-wook, who was put in, changed the flow in an instant. He not only scored his own points, but also actively communicated with his teammates and led a 2-on-2 attack.
4 minutes and 36 seconds before the end of the quarter, a 3-point shot was added to make it 51-45. Thanks to this, KT succeeded in scoring one after another. And Kim Dong-wook added another 3-point shot to make it 60-53. The game that was 1 point went up to 7 points.바카라
In the 4th quarter, Kim Dong-wook scored only 3 points. However, Kim Dong-wook’s presence was still there. He communicated with Dave Ildefonso (191cm, G), whose hands and feet did not match, and took each other’s place. He also actively communicated with Jarrod Jones (206cm, C) and carried out a two-on-two attack. KT players showed even scores under the coordination of Kim Dong-wook. KT, who added a strong defense to it, won the game.
Coach Seo, who we met after the game, also picked Kim Dong-wook as the approval. Director Seo said, “(Ha) Yoongi’s start was good. He showed good form in the air. However, I got foul trouble early, and when I went back to the court, I didn’t look good, so I couldn’t play much. And he put (Kim) Dong-wook in his place as a winning number. In the modern era, that part was successful,” he said, explaining the reason for using Kim Dong-wook instead of Ha Yoon-ki.
“(Kim) Dong-wook opened a way for the team. He scored when it was important and fulfilled his role as a leader. It is memorable,” he explained.
Ha Yoon-ki is recently chosen as one of the hottest players in the KBL. It’s not flashy, but it finds an empty space and scores easily. And in the last All-Star Game, he was even awarded the All-Star MVP. This is why KT’s base is stronger than other teams.
However, director Seo did not rely solely on Ha Yoon-ki. When Ha Yoon-gi hesitated in the second half, he chose a small lineup, and Kim Dong-wook, who replaced Ha Yoon-ki, led the team to victory. It was a game where coach Seo’s bold decision and Kim Dong-wook’s skill shined.