Basketball is a sport where you have to trust your teammates.
Yongsan Go defeated Gyeongbok Go 93-57 in the South High School finals of the 2023 Korea Middle and High School Basketball Weekend League Wangjung Wangjeon at the Yanggu-gun Sports Complex in Gangwon Province 텍사스홀덤 on Wednesday.
After struggling with injuries and absences of key players at the beginning of the year, Yongsango won its third consecutive tournament after winning the federation championship in May. Yongsango’s Lee Kwan-woo led the team from start to finish.
“We didn’t have the structure to train normally last winter,” Lee said. With (Kim) Seung-woo coming back and (Jang) Hyuk-joon coming back, the team came together little by little,” Lee said of the rebound.
Lee Kwan-woo, who played seven games in the tournament, averaged 8.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 7.7 assists, including 10 points, seven rebounds, six assists and one steal in the final.
“We weren’t in good shape before the championships in Glory,” said Lee. After winning the championship, we had to go straight to Yanggu to prepare for the King of Kings. I’m thankful that the coaches believed in the players. I’m also grateful to my teammates for following the tough schedule.”
Yongsango, which entered the Wangjung Championships after winning the National Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships on August 1, played its first qualifying game on August 4. The team has been training nonstop since the end of July.
“Our parents and coaches sacrificed a lot for us,” said Lee Kwan-woo. Their support was also a big help. Thanks to them, we were able to overcome the tough schedule.”
Yongsan Go has many players with good offensive skills. However, Lee’s focus on defense has made them a stronger team.
Lee Kwan-woo said, “Coach Lee made the team members trust each other, and we spent a lot of time on defense, taking advantage of each other’s strengths. “He told me that I needed to have speed and passing ability to go to the pros, and that I needed to be able to use both hands because I’m left-handed. I’m going to use the rest of the time to learn and work harder to become a good player in college.”