[Interview] 'Confronting Japan': The 1st and 2nd games were different, and the 3rd game was different... Coach Baek Ji-eun finds hope amidst defeat

*This content was translated by AI.

Coach Baek Ji-eun (39), who led the Korean women's university national team on a trip to Japan, focused more on growth than on defeat. Although the gap with Japan remained significant, she clearly observed that the players showed different performances in each game.

In a phone interview with StarNews on the 22nd, Coach Baek Ji-eun reflected, "Our players said they learned a lot. They also felt that if they had adjusted and trained a bit more, they could have performed better. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd games against Japan were all different." She added, "We did not lose confidence because of the large score margin; rather, it was a tournament where we gained confidence and learned a great deal about how to strive forward."

Previously, the women's university national team traveled to Japan to compete in the 49th Sang-ibaek Cup Korea-Japan Nam Nyeo-dae-hak (CEO) Basketball Tournament. Starting with a 38-106 loss in the 1st game held on the 15th, they lost both the 2nd and 3rd games as well. Given the clear gap in strength between the two countries, victory was not easy. However, Coach Baek did not focus solely on the results. She placed greater significance on the experience and growth potential the players gained through the tournament.

Coach Baek stated, "In the past, there were comments that 'university players lack training volume' and 'they give up on games too easily.' However, after coaching a university team for five years, what I have noticed is that such behaviors are clearly not visible in today's players." She continued, "The players are trying their best until the end, and their willingness to challenge themselves has changed significantly."

The technical gap was clear. Coach Baek admitted, "There is a significant difference in technical aspects compared to Japanese players," and added, "I felt the gap with Japan once again."

However, the Korean players did their best despite the skill disparity. Coach Baek explained, "In every game, I asked them to 'stop this player today' or to focus on other tactical aspects, and the players always followed through well. Since all 12 Japanese players are skilled, blocking one side resulted in scoring from the other. Nevertheless, because the players adhered to the agreed-upon defense and technical aspects, the score gap narrowed as the games progressed."

The results also stemmed from realistic differences. After the tournament, Coach Baek felt the gap in university basketball infrastructure between the two countries anew through conversations with Japanese coaches. She said, "We have only eight university teams. The number of players coming to universities each year is barely around 30. But in Japan, it is said to be 5,000. Japanese coaches were surprised, asking, 'There aren't that many basketball players in Korea?'"

In this tournament as well, the preparation processes of both teams were clearly different. The Korean national team could not secure sufficient time due to realistic constraints. They only had three days to synchronize their efforts before competing in this Sang-ibaek Cup tournament. Coach Baek expressed regret, saying, "It seems there is still much to develop. It may not just be a problem of university basketball but a broader issue for women's basketball as a whole."

However, Coach Baek hoped for the players' growth. On the day of their arrival, Coach Baek drove the players home and offered sincere advice. She said, "I told the players, 'Do not forget what we have learned, and I hope you bring this to the university league and perform even better. I hope the players who came to the Lee Beon (CEO) team show even better performances in the university league.'"

Coach Baek is now returning to the university league to challenge for the championship. Despite her young age, she is recognized as a renowned coach in the university league. In her first season as head coach in 2022, she led Dankook University to the championship, and this year, Dankook University is also leading the regular season with five consecutive wins. Coach Baek said, "Dankook University has never won the regular season championship. This year, our goal is to try for it."

She also aims for an undefeated championship. Coach Baek stated firmly, "I have not yet discussed this with Navy Headquarters, but it seems the players have talked about it a lot in other interviews. Since the players have made it clear, I will set my goal accordingly."

Meanwhile, Coach Baek entered the professional stage wearing the 2007 Gamho Life uniform. Her position was forward, and she played for Bucheon Hana Bank from 2013 to 2021. After serving as a coach for Hana Bank, she has led Dankook University since 2022.

Additionally, Coach Baek served on the selection committee for the basketball category of the '2024 Futures Star Awards' hosted by StarNews last year. At that time, Park Jeong-woong, who was selected as the first overall pick in the KBL rookie draft by Anyang Jeonggwanjang, received the Star Award.

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*This content was translated by AI.