Wash away the slump and win the home opening game… Nak-Hyeon Kim “I just need to get the balance of the shot right, so I’m looking for a feel for it.”

Daegu Korea Gas Corporation ace Kim Nak-hyeon scored his first 20 points this season in the home opener. Photo = Provided by KBL

The three-guard cogwheel that Daegu Korea Gas Corporation envisioned is working properly. Nak-Hyeon Kim (29·1m84cm)’s shooting balance has begun to return.

Nak-Hyun Kim scored 20 points, including 4 3-point shots, in 27 minutes and 58 seconds in the home opener against Samsung in Seoul on the 26th, leading the team to a 76-70 victory.

Samsung started the first quarter on this day with a 15-23 disadvantage. Inside, Samsung, led by Kofi Coburn, who is considered the best in the league, defeated Korea Gas Corporation with Choi Sung-mo’s 3-point shot and Lee Won-seok’s block shot.

Then Korea Gas Corporation’s three guard lineup came out. Nak-Hyeon Kim, Sam Josef Belangel, and Seong-Woo Jeong, who was recruited as a free agent, ran on the court at the same time. As Korea Gas Corporation put strong pressure, Samsung had a series of turnovers, and Belangel’s two 3-point shots set the stage for the chase.

It was Kim Nak-hyeon who solidified the victory of Korea Gas Corporation, which finished the first half with a 45-44 comeback. Nak-Hyun Kim, who showed his sense of shooting from the 3rd quarter, brought the atmosphere with an outside shot in the 4th quarter, and tore through the Samsung defense at the end of the season, creating a double-digit score gap.

This was the first game of the season where Kim Nak-hyun, who had performed poorly in the two games since the opening, lived up to his name. As the ace of Korea Gas Corporation, he did not play his part in the previous two games, scoring only 5 points in total.

There was a reason. The problem was that the shot balance was off during the weight loss process. In a post-game interview on the 26th, Nak-Hyeon Kim looked back and said, “I lost a lot of weight while rehabilitating my knee, and I think there were parts where my balance wasn’t right. I worked hard to get that balance.”

In fact, Nak-Hyun Kim’s field goal success rate in the previous two games was close to the worst. In the season opener against Changwon LG, he tried 8 times and only got in once (12.5%), and in the game against Wonju DB, he only succeeded once out of 8 times.

The game against Samsung on the 26th was different. He shot 14 times and hit the rim 8 times (57.1%). The 3-point shot success rate alone was 50% (4 out of 8). Nak-Hyun Kim expressed confidence, “I knew that as long as I had the right shot balance, I would go in if I threw confidently at any time. I’m still trying to get a feel for it while playing the game.”

Korea Gas Corporation manager Kang Hyuk also believes that Kim Nak-hyeon should play the role of the team’s ace. This is because he is the vice-captain who will help captain Cha Ba-wi not only with his skills but also with the team. Nak-Hyeon Kim also pledged, “As vice-captain, I want to lead the team well. I think the coach is also looking for not only scoring, but also the invisible part, the part of leading the team.”

Korea Gas Corporation has been growing into a dark horse team, not just a low-ranking team, since coach Hyuk Kang took office last year. This year, the rankings may fluctuate depending on the three-guard system being attempted with the recruitment of Jeong Seong-woo.

First of all, the ‘chemistry’ is solid. Nak-Hyeon Kim said, “When Seongwoo came, there were times when three guards played, and we talked a lot about adjusting the spacing. Today, it worked out well in that regard.” He added, “The guard who was in good condition that day threw. We said to each other, ‘You are okay today. “Let’s do it,” he said.

Nak-Hyeon Kim said, “Of course, there is competition. We learn what each other is good at and try to imitate it. Seong-Woo hyung imitates Belangel’s floater, and I try to learn Seong-Woo hyung’s defense.” He then smiled and said, “However, it’s not that we can easily imitate each other’s strengths. We learn as much as we can and try to complement each other’s weaknesses. I think I’m the best at shooting, though.”

Reporter Cha Seung-yoon chasy99@edaily.co.kr