"Never lost on rebounds" — The 'No. 1' ranking that shone brighter than flashiness: Chung-Ang University's foundation... Coach Yoon Ho-young praises the 'passion'

*This content was translated by AI.

Chung-Ang University, led by 42-year-old Coach Yoon Ho-young, is currently leading the university basketball league this season. The secret lies not in flashy tactics or the presence of a specific ace player. Coach Yoon Ho-young highly praised the passion the players displayed on the court.

In a recent phone interview with StarNews, Coach Yoon Ho-young stated his goal: "Naturally, we have a desire to win. I am not saying this just because we are winning; I played because I wanted to win."

Chung-Ang University recorded 10 wins and 1 loss in the 2026 KUSF University Basketball U-League, firmly holding the top spot among 11 teams. Their win percentage stands at 90.9%. Notably, they have not lost a single one of their seven home games. They are also pulling away from second-place Sungkyunkwan University (6 wins, 1 loss), demonstrating an overwhelming pace.

Coach Yoon Ho-young identified three main factors behind Chung-Ang University's upward momentum: fundamental skills evident in rebounds, the players' strong will to win, and a solid bond between the coach and the team. Among these, the keyword Coach Yoon first mentioned was rebounds.

Coach Yoon Ho-young emphasized, "We have never lost on rebounds this season. Last year, we did not win many games by out-rebounding opponents. It might seem like a trivial statistic, but rebounds require passion to secure. The stronger the desire to win, the more rebounds you get. Even if it is just a number, it can never be ignored."

In fact, Chung-Ang University has never been out-rebounded in any of their 11 games this season. Even during a 55-80 road loss to Korea University last month, they won the rebound battle 35-30.

Coach Yoon Ho-young was a top-tier player in the KBL during his active career. A graduate of Chung-Ang University, he was selected third overall in the 2008 rookie draft by Wonju Dongbu (now Wonju DB) and remained with the same team for 16 years until his retirement, becoming a 'one-club man.' Particularly known for his tight defense and strong leadership, he played a key role as one pillar of the 'Wonju Fortress Triple Tower.'

Therefore, the fundamental aspects Coach Yoon Ho-young emphasizes, such as rebounds and defense, resonate even more strongly with Chung-Ang University players. This is clearly reflected on the court.

Coach Yoon Ho-young said, "The players have reached the stage of working hard. However, to make them play more intelligently, I continue to teach them tricks and point out aspects of the opposing teams."

He continued, "Defense seems much harder than offense. Offense requires talent, but there are moments to rest when you catch the ball or when open space appears. Defense, however, offers no such breaks. You must keep blocking and keep reading while moving. The moment you rest, a gap opens. Therefore, beyond talent, more effort is needed. We still need to develop further in this area."

The team's will to win is another aspect that Coach Yoon Ho-young highly values. He stated, "I am grateful that all the players have worked so hard. They have set high goals for themselves and are striving to reach them. I recognize that the players want to win more than anyone else and are putting in the corresponding effort." He also expressed affection, saying, "While I may scold them often for their growth, honestly, there is no player I do not care for."

The goal for this season is naturally to win the championship. Coach Yoon Ho-young remarked, "The players have endured a difficult process up to now because they wanted to win. They are working hard inside the court to win on their own. This is the driving force behind our league-leading position." He added, "It is important that no injured players emerge in the future. In the long run, if we can reduce turnovers, we should be able to operate the game more stably."

Chung-Ang University's upward momentum cannot be explained by skill alone. Coach Yoon Ho-young, who took the helm at his alma mater, Chung-Ang University, in April last year, has built a solid trust relationship with the team, uniting them as one.

Coach Yoon Ho-young said, "It has been about a year since I took over as coach. However, the trust relationship between the coach and players does not seem to be a matter of time. I believe the trust between me and the players is stronger than in any other team." He confidently added, "If we can effectively translate this bond onto the court, we can maintain a good momentum until the end of the league season."

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*This content was translated by AI.