'On the Brink' Son Chang-hwan, Sonos Coach: "Lee Jung-hyun's Condition is OK → Told Them to Have Fun"

*This content was translated by AI.

Ahead of the decisive Game 5, Son Chang-hwan, head coach of Goyang Sonos, identified 'mental strength' and 'playing basketball with joy' as key to victory. This stems from his wish that players, even in a desperate situation, would not be intimidated and would fully display their skills on the court.

Ahead of the 5th game of the '2025-2026 LG Electronics Professional Basketball' championship series, to be held at Goyang Sonos Arena on the 13th, Coach Son Chang-hwan met with reporters and stated, "I emphasized mental strength even more to the players." He added, "Especially after we unfortunately lost Game 3, the atmosphere became too heavy, so I deliberately tried to lighten the mood by smiling and making jokes."

Regarding the physical condition of key players, including Lee Jung-hyun, which is of greatest concern to fans, Coach Son expressed confidence. He explained, "As of now, there are no apparent issues with the physical condition of players like Lee Jung-hyun and Kevin Cambao. They themselves say they are fine, and there are no major abnormalities seen in their performance on the court." He continued, "I told them to have fun on the court as much as they want," showing firm trust in his players.

Coach Son pointed out strict physical management as the deciding factor in this game. He stated, "Actually, it is really difficult to rebuild after physical strength has completely shut down. I told them to speak up when their physical strength drops to around 40%. That is when substitutions must be made to maintain performance," outlining specific operational principles.

Especially regarding foreign center Igidius, the 'second option' who performed well in the last game, he added, "It seems he had a slight physical advantage. He will play his role until he runs out of energy, and if he gets tired, we will substitute him immediately to maintain the flow."

Regarding the game flow, he emphasized taking the initiative early. Coach Son said, "We plan to attack from the start. There will be no major changes in the playing time for the starters," previewing a straightforward approach.

Regarding the distribution of playing time for Kang Ji-hoon and Jung Hee-jae, who will play in the 3rd and 4th positions, he said, "Rather than setting a fixed time, it is important to show a certain level of focus once they enter the game." However, he also expressed expectations, "Especially if Jung Hee-jae can hold on for at least 15 minutes, it will be a great help to the team."

Finally, Coach Son stated, "Ultimately, the team that plays with more passion will gain the advantage," and vowed, "We will maintain a cold, clear judgment and definitely win."

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.