“We need to grow into a team that does everything on offense and defense” (Woori Bank head coach Lee Sat-woo)
“Each player did their best to the best of their ability” (Shinhan Bank Head Coach Gunadan)
Asan Woori Bank won 94-75 against Incheon Shinhan Bank in the Woori WON 2023-2024 Women’s Professional Basketball League at the Asan Sunshin Gymnasium on March 23. Woori Bank, which has already clinched second place, improved to 22-6 on the season.
Park Ji-hyun (182 cm, G) scored 32 points or more for the second straight game. He scored 15 points on free throws alone. She finished with 32 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and four steals. Choi Yi-Sam (F, 182 cm) exploded for 19 points, five rebounds, three assists and one blocked shot, including 16 points in the third quarter alone. Kim Dan-bi (180 cm, F) also had a strong game with 15 points, 14 rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one blocked shot.
“Shinhan Bank came out strong,” said Woori Bank head coach Lee Sat-woo after the game. They were out of the playoffs, and they played with young players, but they played hard, and we practiced well because of that. I respect that, so I was worried about fouls. I think our guys handled it well, even the guys who haven’t been playing, they’ve done a good job,” he said.
“Nevertheless, I don’t put much importance on the match. We were loose at the beginning because we didn’t have Kim Sonia. We gave up some easy goals. After that, we were flexible and played well. (Choi) took advantage of their defense rotation mistakes. With young players playing, they found holes. Scoring 90 points doesn’t mean much. (Park) Hye Jin-yi is still not good enough. She’ll be stressed until the playoffs. But in the big games, she will definitely do her job,” he added.
Park has been recovering her form well. She is increasing the percentage of free throws in her scoring.
“(Park) Ji-hyun fights for me under the goal. As she does, she gets stronger and stronger. When I was younger, I was not strong enough. She used to score a lot when she was younger. Now she knows when she needs to score. She knows where to do it. She’s an offensive-minded player. I think about what I want to do. Even if I tell her not to do it, she does the attack she wants to do.”
However, the coach expects a lot from Park Ji-hyun. He wants her to grow into a complete player in the offense.
“There are many complaints about her defense. She needs to do everything on offense. When the score is close or in a loose situation, she doesn’t defend perfectly. I keep pointing it out. She has to feel it herself. On offense, there’s nothing to say. She does a good job. She’s the tallest player on the team. We need to be more experienced in defense. You have to be as focused on defense as you are on offense. She needs to do that to become a bigger player. She needs to grow into an all-around player. You have to be a good defender. He can block shots. He steals well, but he can do better. I think I’m satisfied with myself. You always have to play with the mindset that you’re not good enough.”
Finally, he added, “(Kim) did what she does well and became the WKBL player with the most wins. Even if I was on a different team, I would have done it. She also played for a good team, Shinhan Bank. We need to win more so that other players can’t match it. Danbi worked hard and earned this record. Congratulations to her. I wish her many more victories,” he concluded the press conference.
Shinhan Bank, on the other hand, has lost six straight games. Fifth-place Shinhan Bank has a season record of 7 wins and 21 losses. Shinhan Bank can drop to 6th place depending on the outcome of their remaining games (Shinhan Bank losses & BNK Thumb wins head-to-head scoring margin).
Go Na-yeon (173 cm, F) led Shinhan Bank with 12 points and 2 rebounds, including 3 three-pointers. Lee Da-yeon (F, 175 cm) added 10 points, two rebounds, one 토토 assist, and two steals.
Shinhan Bank head coach Gunadan said after the game, “Every player who came in worked hard to the best of their ability. They were bold on offense. Win or lose, every player did their best. We played well in the first quarter, but it’s unfortunate that we didn’t play well in the second quarter. After halftime, we worked on it, and it came together. Of course, the coach can’t play every quarter as he wants. We played well enough. We have to continue like this. We did the best we could, but it’s always disappointing,” he said.
He added: “They came out strong on defense in the second quarter. When they cut off our path, we didn’t know what to do, and that’s when you have to be natural and turn the ball over. You have to fight hard, you have to be in a rush, and you have to turn your head quickly. If you think too much, you lose the flow. I want them to think a little bit more,” he added.
“We want to win every game. But you also have to make sure your players are in shape. You don’t have to play players who are not in good shape just to win a game. We’ll give the players who can play a chance. The players who get the chance will gain confidence. We can finish the season on a high note. Fifth or sixth doesn’t mean anything. It’s the same as not playing basketball in the spring,” he concluded the press conference.