The Korean men’s basketball team was convened on April 29. The team is preparing for an exhibition match against Japan scheduled at Ariake Arena in Tokyo on May 5 and 7. This time, all 12 players of the national team are young players who were born in 1996 or younger. Ha Yoon-ki, who has constantly joined the national team, is also engaged in training in a new atmosphere.
“All the players are young and the youngest, so I can feel their energy,” Ha Yoon-ki said at the Sono Arena Auxiliary Gymnasium in Goyang on Sunday. “The atmosphere is so good. I am also the youngest in my team, but I am working harder to train. I think it is fun to train with my peers.”
In the upcoming match between Korea and Japan, Ha has heavy shoulders. It is the first match that he will play without naturalized player Ra Gun-ah. As Ra Gun-ah was excluded, Korea is under mounting pressure in the fight under the basket. This is why Ha’s role is important as he became the No. 1 Korean big man in the KBL since last season.
“Actually, I feel a lot of pressure. (D) Gun-ah is a legend. I don’t think he can fill the vacancy alone. We should share our trust with our teammates. I think we need to work together to fill the vacancy both in offense and defense,” Ha said. 에볼루션 바카라사이트
Japan has naturalized player Josh Hawkinson (Shibuya). His strength is that he is 208 centimeters tall and can play both inside and outside. Ha Yoon-ki is expected to receive the special title of Hawkinson’s blockade.
He said, “We had a warm-up match with Japan last year, but Hawkinson didn’t play then. I heard that he will participate this time. I looked up videos of Japan playing against Australia. I even drew on myself how to stop Hawkinson. I think I will have to think more about it for the rest of the year.”
The upcoming match between Korea and Japan will take place in Tokyo, the heart of Japan. Although the away match has added pressure, it is an opportunity for young players to gain experience. If they compete with each other with spirit, they can expect good performance.
Ha Yoon-ki said, “Honestly, playing at home is more burdensome. I think it will be more fun to play in Japan. I will do my best to show all the plays that I can show. I will play hard together so that I can win.”