“I would play 180 minutes if I could win”
To the delight of his opponents, Heo Hoon (Suwon KT) ran the court for 40 minutes without a substitution. The grueling march through the quarterfinal and semifinal playoffs to the championship match could have been physically exhausting, but he held on with strong mental strength.
Hehun’s pride was the driving force behind his great performance. After the shock of losing the first round of the championship without showing anything, he was determined.
KT, which is challenging to win its first championship, overcame a 12-point deficit to defeat Busan KCC 101-97 in the second game of the championship at the Suwon KT Arena on Nov. 29.
After falling 73-90 in Game 1, KT won Game 2 to even the series at 1-1. The team’s steps are lighter as they head to Busan for Games 3 and 4.
It was a big win for KT. If they lost Game 2, the momentum would have been completely in KCC’s favor and the series could have ended prematurely. After losing Game 1, KT’s mood was not too bright, but they managed to rebound with a Game 2 victory.
Heo Hoon and foreign player Paris Bass were the main stars of KT’s victory.
After being held scoreless in the first half, Bass scored 36 points in the second half to lead a thrilling comeback.
Heo Hoon’s contribution was even bigger. He was the reason KT didn’t crumble when KCC unleashed a furious offense early on. He led the offense with 18 points in the first half alone, especially as he played the entire game without a substitution, acting as KT’s engine.
After the game, Heo said, “The team was in a bad mood after losing Game 1. Fortunately, the players played well in the second game and we won. I feel good. But we shouldn’t be too happy just because we won one game. We will analyze what we lacked and bring good results in the next three games.”
KT head coach Song Young-jin predicted an all-out war, and the main players got more playing time. This was something that KCC head coach Jeon Chang-jin expected and was prepared for. However, Heo Hoon was able to break down KCC’s defense and pierce the heart of KT’s attack. Moreover, he played full-time and gave his all.
The opposing team’s coach was equally impressed. “He’s a really great player,” said Jeon Chang-jin. We need to play with that kind of mentality, but we didn’t,” said Jeon bitterly.
“It’s very hard physically. It’s even harder than KCC 먹튀검증 because we came to the championship game under difficult circumstances. In the end, it’s a mental battle. If we can win, we can play 180 minutes,” he said.
It was Heo Hoon’s performance in Game 1 that spurred him on. In that game, he played 22 minutes and 59 seconds, scoring 12 points and dishing out four assists while shooting just 36 percent from the field.
The first round loss left Heo Hoon with a venomous taste in his mouth, and he prepared for the second round with a strong mindset. “I felt so bad after the first round loss. I didn’t show anything. It felt like we didn’t play and lost. I was so angry and frustrated because we are not this kind of team,” he said. “If we lose the second game, our chances of winning the championship will be too low, so we put everything on the line and played even more desperately today. We played like we were going to die. I will continue to play with this mindset,” he vowed.
The championship game was also highlighted by the Heo Woong (KCC)-Hehun brothers’ matchup. Heoung struggled in Game 2 with 16 points, four rebounds, and four assists, but couldn’t prevent his team from losing.
“I don’t feel any pressure at all. On the contrary, I feel honored to play such a fun and happy game,” Heo said.
