"We will win no matter what" in the Korea-Japan match on Liberation Day... Captain Lee Seung-hyun's resolve

*This content was translated by AI.

Lee Seung-hyun (Hyundai Mobis) of the Korean men's national basketball team, ahead of the Korea-Japan match on Liberation Day, stated his determination: "I want to win no matter what and bring good results to our fans and the nation."

According to the Korea Basketball Association on the 14th, Lee Seung-hyun said, "As this is a match held on Liberation Day, the players are quite nervous. However, we will approach the game with the mindset of winning no matter what," one day before the men's exhibition match against Japan scheduled for 7 p.m. on the 15th at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.

Lee Seung-hyun emphasized, "During Window 2, we played on March 1st (and lost 72-78). I believe that in such meaningful matches, it is more important to play for the team than for personal reasons."

He continued, "The team atmosphere is very good. However, Jung Hyun-woo has not yet fully recovered, and Lee Hyeon-jung and Ahn Young-jun (Seoul SK) are also out, so we cannot say that all players are in perfect condition. To fill the gaps left by the absent players, other players are working harder. In particular, Byun Jun-hyeong (Jung Kwan Jang) is participating more intensely in training despite a finger injury, which serves as good motivation for his teammates."

As also the team captain, he added, "The individual abilities of the players are outstanding, needless to say. What matters most is that each player's skills and abilities are demonstrated collectively as a team. Since basketball is a team sport, we are constantly communicating to ensure we coordinate well, unite as one, and maximize the synergistic effect of each player's strengths."

Nikola Majzls, head coach of the men's national basketball team, stated, "It is most important to consistently show in the game what we have prepared during training. Through this exhibition match, I want to verify whether we can properly execute small details under high-intensity actual competition conditions. Rather than focusing too much on the opponent's plays, we are concentrating on running the game according to our plans and principles."

Coach Majzls said, "This is a good opportunity to test various tactics and utilize players in multiple positions and situations. Although several players are absent, we intend to give sufficient playing time to young players. We will try out various player matchups and tactical combinations, aiming to make the most of these two games."

He further added, "Finding players who can contribute to the national team in the future is also an important goal of this exhibition match. I want to see young players grow one step further through high-level competition. Through this experience, I also hope to identify which players will be able to take on larger roles for the national team moving forward."

The men's national basketball team will play another exhibition match against Japan on the 16th following their game on the 15th. This exhibition series serves as preparation for the second round of Asian qualifiers for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

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*This content was translated by AI.