The heart of the No. 1 rookie overall was as hard as “vibranium.”
Suwon kt Sonic Boom won 93-90 after a fierce battle in the first round of the 2023-24 professional basketball semifinal playoff against Ulsan Hyundai Mobis at Suwon kt Sonic Boom Arena on the 5th.
As many as 92.3% (48/52) of the game with a chance of advancing to the semifinals playoff, it was not Paris Bath or Heo Hoon, but Moon Jung-hyun, a “special rookie.”
At the end of the fourth quarter, when it was 90-90 the kt got the last chance to attack after blocking Hyundai Mobis’ early attack. The kt had Bath and Heo Hoon, and in the end, one of the two players seemed to be responsible for the last attack.
Hyundai Mobis was also aware of this fact. Choi Jin-soo was attached to Bath, and Park Moo-bin was attached to Heo Hoon. At this time, a variable occurred. Moon Jung-hyun, who was standing exactly on the three-point shooting line, was very good, and Bath did not miss it.
Hyundai Mobis missed Moon Jung-hyun perfectly. Ham Ji-hoon approached late to get hit, but the ball had already left Moon Jung-hyun’s hand. The ball that flew like that passed through the rim exactly and became a winning three-point shot to end the great battle.
Ham Ji-hoon’s late check of Moon Jung-hyun was not a hard-to-understand defense. Not many expected Moon Jung-hyun to try a three-point shot at that moment. Everything was perfect, including the position and timing where he stood, but considering the success rate of the three-point shot of 31.1% in the regular league, it was a better defense than missing Bath and Heo Hoon.
It was a dizzying moment for KT as well. Moon’s three-point shot flew to the rim with nine seconds left in the attack time limit. He also had the option to hand the ball to Bath and Hur Hoon again and see the result. The difference between success and failure was a game changer that could lead to victory and defeat.
However, Moon’s heart was as strong as vibranium. He tried and succeeded in making a three-point shot in accordance with the flow and rhythm that passed down to him. It was the best shot that he could not be shy about winning the title of potential star player and the No. 1 rookie overall.
Short-term games such as the playoffs have few variables unlike the regular season games. During the 54-game regular season, players who strengthen their strengths and overcome their weaknesses are often left to decide their fate.
That’s why a “crazy player” is needed. Moon Jung-hyun was seriously insane at KT on the day. Of the eight points he recorded, the last three were as valuable as Bath’s 32 points and Hur Hoon’s 20.
Only one game of the best-of-five series is over. However, the winner and loser were divided, and the difference was very large. Moon Jung-hyun was at the center of it, and the winning 3-point shot of the first overall rookie was a moment in KBL history.