Yang Dong-geun, aiming for his first back-to-back wins of the season: "Containing Sonok's three-pointers is key; their frontcourt gets excited when they face only us"

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

After finally securing their first win to break a three-game losing streak at the start of the season and laying the groundwork for a turnaround, Ulsan Hyundai Mobis head coach Yang Dong-geun identified shutting down the opponent's perimeter shooting as the key to achieving "back-to-back wins."

Hyundai Mobis will face Goyang Sonok Skygunners in a Round 1 away matchup at Goyang Sonok Arena, located in Goyang City, Gyeonggi Province, on the 16th. This is their first meeting of the season.

Hyundai Mobis's start to this season was somewhat rough. After falling into a three-game losing streak following the opening, Hyundai Mobis secured a precious maiden victory with a 99-89 win over Wonju DB in a home game on the 12th, bringing their record to one win and three losses and catching their breath. Riding this momentum, they aim for their first back-to-back wins of the season on the road.

However, the opponent is no pushover. Although Sonok has suffered four consecutive losses recently, they are a tricky team with perimeter shooting firepower that could erupt at any moment. Speaking to reporters on site ahead of the game, head coach Yang Dong-geun said, "Sonok is a difficult team. You never know where it will come from, and they are full of vitality and energy." He added, "While Johnny O'Bryant and Scotty James may have had low shooting percentages recently, shots can go in at any time. Because they have explosive power that could strike at any moment, a simple defensive approach of 'give them what they want and stop what you can' is difficult," maintaining a wary stance.

Containing Lee Jung-hyun, Sonok's star and primary scorer, is also the biggest challenge. Regarding the matchup against Lee Jung-hyun, head coach Yang said, "I plan to start with Jerry (Abadiano) so we don't fall behind in the initial battle." He noted, "Even if player Lee Jung-hyun's success rate is in the low 30 percent range, if three consecutive shots go in, it results not just in a simple nine points but an impact of over 10 points in terms of momentum. These are shots with such a huge impact that they are truly difficult to stop."

He also shared realistic concerns about "switching man-to-man," the most ideal solution for blocking perimeter shots. Head coach Yang stated, "The best defense against a team that loves the perimeter is switching man-to-man, but our frontcourt guard lineup is short in stature, so it is still too much of a strain to execute perfectly." He explained, "If we get easily beaten in one-on-one situations, the distance for help defense becomes too far, leaving us vulnerable in both the paint and the perimeter. One-on-one defense is the most fundamental yet difficult aspect."

Reflecting on the recent win over DB and the three-game losing streak at the start of the season, head coach Yang emphasized, "During the previous losing streak, I did not organize things well. It was my impatience to expect organic movement too early, whether with Prim or otherwise. Now, we are trying to diligently execute set offenses and prepared patterns."

Finally, head coach Yang smiled and said, "It's not that we aren't practicing," before adding, "Even if we prepare hard, there are moments on the court where a slip causes us to lose the flow." He resolved, "Shots taken against prepared defense are fine, but if they come from unexpected places, the players get mentally shaken. Today, we must tenaciously execute our prepared defense."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original