Hana Bank coach Kim Do-wan, who lost in the opening game, said, “I didn’t play fast basketball… Jinan did his job.” [현장인터뷰]

(Xports News Bucheon, Reporter Kim Jeong-hyeon) Bucheon Hana Bank coach Kim Do-wan said that the team lost because the basketball they had prepared during practice did not play.

Despite Jinan‘s great performance, Hana Bank lost 56-64 in the official opening game of the ‘Hana Bank 2024-2025 Women’s Professional Basketball’ against Cheongju KB Stars held at Bucheon Gymnasium on the 27th.

Twin Tower Jinan struggled with 23 points and 19 rebounds, and Yang In-young struggled with 20 points and 9 rebounds, but Hana Bank collapsed after being hit by 8 outside shots from KB.

At the press conference after the game, Coach Kim said, “I said I was prepared, but I fell short. In any case, it wasn’t good that I had to do it on the outside. What I had done in the practice game didn’t come out well. I also gave up too many 3 points to the opponent. I said I was going to play defense according to practice, but I didn’t do it properly. “The players said they played hard today, but I wasn’t able to point it out, so I will prepare again and prepare well for the next game,” he said.

Park So-hee played the role of guard and led the team, but did not perform as well as expected.

Coach Kim said, “It’s just the beginning, and it’s bound to be a struggle. I had some expectations, but the player himself has to overcome it. Due to the team’s circumstances, we have no choice but to look at number 1. It’s true that the outskirts are undervalued even from the outside.”

He then analyzed, “The center team has to live on the outskirts to survive, but that didn’t work out very well. Shion couldn’t play that role, and Yerim didn’t show off her play either. In that respect, it didn’t go well.” The newly joined Yuzuki took on that role. Coach Kim, who showed a negative stance on doing so, said, “It is not easy. We are in a position where we have to recruit and use as much as we need. We need a guard who can overcome that and endure. Ishida is also Ishida, but (Park) So-hee must overcome to become a real player. “It would be nice if the rest of the players took care of them, but I should have taken more care of them because they were all just looking ahead, but I feel regretful that I couldn’t do that.”

Regarding Jinan, who performed well in his league debut after transferring, “I think he played his role well. The big men had a high-low game, but those players fought inside and tried to create opportunities on the outside, but those didn’t come out, so he played static basketball. “I wanted to play fast basketball with an early offense during practice, but I couldn’t do that,” he said.

At the same time, “(the pass) needs to be put in the post at the right time, so that it can result in a score or a foul or cause damage to the opponent, but there is a part of them that hesitates for fear of making a mistake. Because they hesitate, it is difficult to deal with the opponent when they enter the defense, and they end up scrambling with a dead ball. “The ball needs to come out alive, but we couldn’t play that game from start to finish and it ended.”

Coach Kim further said, “Anyway, we can only survive if Sohee survives. I hope Sohee becomes more confident. I think the reason Sohee is a little confused is that if the guard is up, she should be given a pass. A pass is a pass, but she wants a guard who can score her own points, and that’s how it works. “Only when a score is scored is an outnumbered player and a pass is made when the opponent is under pressure, but I think we need to teach him because he is still young,” he said.

Photo = WKBL

Reporter Kim Jeong-hyeon [email protected]