“We need to work harder to improve Korean basketball” (Shinhan Bank head coach Gunathan)
“It’s hard to make big changes for the playoffs” (Hana OneQ head coach Kim Do-wan)
Incheon Shinhan Bank won 73-55 against Bucheon Hana OneQ in the sixth round of the Woori Bank Woori WON 2023-2024 Women’s Professional Basketball League on Saturday at Bucheon Indoor Gymnasium. The win clinched fifth place in the standings. Shinhan Bank has a season record of 8 wins and 21 losses.
Kim Jin-young (176 cm, F) was just three assists shy of a triple-double with 12 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists, one steal, and two blocked shots. Lee Hye-mi (170 cm, G) also had a good game with 15 points, including three 3-pointers, three rebounds, three assists, and one steal. Kim Sonia (177 cm, F) also had eight points, 12 rebounds, and two assists.
Shinhan Bank head coach Gunadan Shin said after the game, “The girls did what we asked them to do on offense. We distributed the ball well. We created easy scoring opportunities. They ran a lot of rotations like we did. We operated within our limits without getting injured. The younger players did a good job overall. Sometimes better than their older sisters. They take to heart what I point out. They work hard to not make the same mistakes again,” he praised.
“I thought we had already secured fifth place after the last game against Woori Bank (laughs). It doesn’t matter if we are fifth or sixth. It’s the same that we didn’t make the playoffs. It’s important to finish without getting injured. I want the players to grow in matches like this. I hope we finish healthy,” he added.
Shinhan Bank never left the bottom of the standings until midway through the season. They made a surge before and after the All-Star break.
“We’re professionals, so of course we have to work hard. I think so. We have to work harder. I have to work harder than I am now. I have to work harder for the development of Korean basketball. I’ll try to improve as a coach. Players should also work hard as players. It’s hard to increase the popularity of basketball like this. I will look back on my shortcomings and correct them,” he vowed.
Coach Gunadan played Jin Young Kim until the end. He wanted to help her get a triple-double.
“I felt bad for (Kim). He was struggling with a torn ankle ligament that he suffered in the offseason. He said it was almost the first injury of his career. He couldn’t get the feel of the game easily. There were a lot of injuries. I couldn’t find my role. As the season went on, I gradually found my role and the feeling of the game. It must have been hard for Jin-young,” he said, “but as a professional, you have to get through it. You say, ‘What the hell, I have to do it.’ It’s no different than an office worker. Even if it’s hard and difficult, you have to do it. It’s not just about the 2023-2024 season. He has to show better performance. He’s a player who tries a lot. I hope he grows more,” he concluded the press conference.
Hana OneQ, on the other hand, lost its home final game. Hana OneQ, which entered the playoffs in fourth place, has a season record of 10-19.
Yang In-young (184 cm, C) struggled with 14 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, and two blocked shots. Shin Ji-hyun (174 cm, G) added nine points, seven rebounds, six assists, and one blocked shot.
Hana OneQ head coach Kim Dowan said after the game, “It didn’t work out. The players said they would, but it didn’t work out. Players are human. You can put your mind down for a while. I wanted 사설토토 the younger players to play their own basketball. I got caught up in the atmosphere. I feel sorry for (Park) So-hee. It was her time to shine. She flashes for a second, then heads it to the ground. (Park) Even if it doesn’t work out like Jin-young’s, I hope it does. You have to play basketball with the idea of starting from the bottom. I scolded him. You have to open your eyes. We have to reflect,” he said.
Then, “In-young (Yang) has a bad back. She said she wanted to run, so I let her run. He was probably nervous because of his back. Her shooting percentage might be down. The other players did a good job. The younger players need to play in games like this. We were passive. We didn’t play well in front of a full house. I apologize to the fans. It’s not all about this match. The players suffered from accumulated fatigue. We needed to rest. We will prepare well for the playoffs.”
Finally, he said, “The Shinhan Bank ranking has not been finalized. It was also the final home game. So, we played our starting lineup. For the final game of the regular season, we’ll have to see how (Kim) Jung-eun and the other players are feeling. After that, we’ll have two days off. We have a non-stop schedule. On March 5, we have a media day. On March 7, we can really start preparing. We can’t make too many changes for the playoffs. We have to start preparing for KB Stars on February 28,” he concluded the press conference.