Jung Hyo-geun (200 cm, F) and Lee Jong-hyun (203 cm, C) need to step up in the frontcourt.
The summer of 2023 was brutal for Anyang’s Chung. Free agents Moon Sung-gon (195 cm, F) and Oh Se-geun (200 cm, C) left for Suwon KT and Seoul SK, respectively, and the team’s spiritual anchor Yang Hee-jong retired. And Byun Jun-hyung (185 cm, G), the team’s starting point guard, joined the Merchants. The team lost its main resources all at once.
Jung tried to make up for the loss of power to some extent. Jung Hyo-geun (200 cm, F) and Choi Sung-won (184 cm, G) were acquired from the free agency market, and Kim Sang-kyu (198 cm, F) and 해외 카지노 사이 Lee Jong-hyun (203 cm, C) were also added to the roster.
The team’s early momentum was pretty good. They were 9-4 midway through the second round. However, after Omari Spellman (203cm, F) went down with an injury, Jung Kwan-jang was unable to get out of the injury rut. As a result, the team plummeted. 18 wins, 36 losses, 9th place.
Since June 3, the team has been preparing for the 2024-2025 season. After signing domestic and Asian quota players, the team decided on Cady Laren (204 cm, C) as the first option foreign player. The second foreign player is still to be determined, but the roster is pretty much set.
Guards and swingmen are somewhat plentiful. Park Ji-hoon (184 cm, G), Choi Sung-won, Bae Byeong-joon (189 cm, G), and Jung Jun-won (194 cm, F) have been holding down the fort, while Song Chang-yong (191 cm, F), Lee Won-dae (182 cm, G), and Harvey Gomez (195 cm, F) are new additions. In addition, Byun Jun-hyung (185 cm, G) will return from military service in the 2024-2025 season.
However, the frontcourt lineup is not as deep. First of all, Kim Sang-kyu retired, and Kim Chul-wook (204 cm, C) was traded to Daegu KOGAS. Although Kim Kyung-won (198 cm, C) has shaken off injuries, the impact of Jung Hyo-geun and Lee Jong-hyun (203 cm, C) has become more important.
Chung has high hopes for both players. First, Jung is a forward who can play both inside and outside. With his height and athleticism, Chung can play many roles for the team. He is also the captain of the 2024-2025 squad. He”ll need to bring the team together. As you can see, Jung’s responsibility has increased.
In the 2023-2024 regular season, Jong-hyun averaged 22 minutes and 4 seconds in 52 games. 7.3 points, 5.2 rebounds (1.6 offensive), and 1.0 assists per game. It was the first time in his career that he played more than 50 regular-season games, and the first time in five years that he played more than 20 minutes per game after the 2018-2019 season (2018-2019 average minutes: 20:31).
Also, with Jung Hyo-geun and Lee Jong-hyun playing together, Jung Kwan-jang can equalize the height battle with his opponents. With both players doing their part, the pressure on Lahren and other foreign players is reduced. The guard resources can also focus on their own defense.
And the two players have experienced the basketball of coach Kim Sang-sik in the 2023-2024 season. Therefore, in the 2024-2025 season, they will have to implement Kim’s colors more clearly. That means they need to be more organic and smarter.
If any of them break down, Chung won’t be able to achieve the same results as in the 2023-2024 season. In order for Chung to form the framework of ‘defense under the basket’ and ‘rebounding’, the presence of Jung Hyo-geun and Lee Jong-hyun is essential. The two players will also put a lot of sweat into their personal development.