The role of Jung Hee-jae (196 cm, F) has become more important.
Changwon LG hired new head coach Cho Sang-hyun after the 2021-2022 season ended. After coaching the Goyang Orions (now Day One Sports) and the South Korean men’s national basketball team, the team wanted to take a leap forward.
Cho emphasized defense first. He started with the basics. “We realized that we couldn’t win in 5-on-5 basketball. So we thought about defense followed by fast basketball,” he said, explaining why he emphasized defense.
LG coach Cho Sang-hyun’s strategy worked. LG scored 76.6 points per game in the 2022-2023 season. The lowest among the 10 teams. With the defense as its foundation, LG finished second in the regular season with 36 wins and 18 losses. The team secured a direct playoff berth in the top four for the first time in nine years since the 2013-2014 season. Exceeding expectations.
It wasn’t just the defense. LG’s depth was such that the term second unit was coined. The high energy level of several players on the court was a big reason for LG’s success.
Despite the strength of the second unit, the pillars of the team were definitely present. Asem Marei (202 cm, C). A combination of strength, flair, and unselfishness, Maray stabilized his teammates with his defense and rebounding. Without his ability to control opponents inside and out, LG’s success would not have been possible.
However, Marae’s partner was important. To be more precise, they needed a player who could distract Marae from the focus on him. Hee-jae Jung was that player. He didn’t put up stellar numbers, averaging 4.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 17:48 minutes in 53 regular-season games, but he did give Marrei some breathing room with 0.9 three-pointers per game on 39.7 percent shooting.
His role didn’t stop at the three-point line. She battled with Marrei around the painted area and showed a wide defensive range from the painted area to the 3-point line. He also used his experience to cut down opposing offensive lanes.
With Jung and Maray being the core of the first unit, the second unit of Kim Jun-il (200 cm, C) and Dante Cunningham (203 cm, F) were able to show different colors. Conversely, Kim and Cunningham allowed Jung and Marei to focus on their own time. The four different combinations complemented each other.
However, Kim Jun-il left LG after the 2022-2023 season. This was because he became a free agent and donned the jersey of the Ulsan Hyundai Mobis. Shin Min-soo (196 cm, F), who competed with Jung Hee-jae for the forward position, also moved to Wonju DB. In addition, Cunningham did not finalize his contract. As a result, LG is unsure of the strength of its secondary.
Of course, LG is not without some good news. Yang Hong-seok (195 cm, F), who can score and rebound, has joined the team, and Park Jung-hyun (202 cm, C) will be discharged from the military during the 2023-2024 season. The two big men could be a new force for LG. 먹튀검증
However, both Yang Hong-seok and Park Jung-hyun come with some uncertainty. Yang Hong-seok will need to gel with his new teammates and fit into the style of his new coach. Park is also working with LG coach Cho Sang-hyun for the first time. They are also new to the regular season. LG can’t expect everything from Yang and Park.
Jeong Hee-jae needs to minimize the above-mentioned team insecurities. The 2023-2024 season could be even more important for Jeong, as he is the forward who can best implement LG’s new color scheme. He’ll need to prove himself and keep the team’s momentum going.