Coach Yoo Do-hoon: "How many minutes can you play today?" → "Let's see"... Jeonggwanjang aims to break losing streak with Thomas' return [Anyang on-site]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

"LaShawn, how many minutes can you play today?" "Let's see."

Anyang Jeonggwanjang head coach Yoo Do-hoon eased the pre-game tension with a lighthearted exchange in the locker room with foreign player LaShawn Thomas, who was set to make his return. Laughter spread through the Jeonggwanjang locker room as the team sought to break its losing streak despite injury setbacks.

Jeonggwanjang will face Suwon KT in a 2026-2027 KCC Pro Basketball League regular season matchup at Anyang Jeonggwanjang Arena at 2 p.m. on the 31st.

Jeonggwanjang is on a three-game winning streak against KT. The team secured a decisive 89-69 victory in their last meeting on the 17th. Although currently on a two-game losing streak, Jeonggwanjang sits in third place in the league with a record of six wins and three losses. Meanwhile, KT has fallen into a five-game losing slump, remaining tied for eighth place with three wins and six losses.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the game, Coach Yoo opened by discussing Thomas' return, stating, "The players are mentally prepared with the determination that they must win since it is LaShawn's return match."

During the interview, Coach Yoo noted, "It is hardest for coaches to predict playing time," but recalled asking Thomas in the locker room, "LaShawn, how many minutes can you play today?" Thomas replied with a smile, "Let's see (We'll see)."

Coach Yoo then explained, "Since two foreign players are on the court during the second and third quarters, playing time is usually around 30 minutes. I think we should initially keep his minutes below 30." He added, "The flow of the game may require more height, but we must carefully manage his playing time to prevent injury recurrence."

Jeonggwanjang has recently dealt with injury setbacks among its foreign players. After Thomas suffered a knee injury on the 13th and was diagnosed with a two-week recovery period, the team signed Reed as a replacement. As Thomas' return date approached, another foreign player, John Mooney, suffered a knee injury and received an eight-week diagnosis. Consequently, Jeonggwanjang re-registered Reed as Mooney's replacement on the 28th.

Coach Yoo said, "Thomas is returning directly from injury, so he has worked hard with the trainer on rehabilitation." He continued, "Game fitness, general fitness, and game sense are different, so we need to adjust as we play games. Above all, it is most important that the injury does not recur."

Coach Yoo also did not forget to address Reed's role. "My homework is how well I can integrate Reed into Jeonggwanjang's current concept," he said. Regarding Mooney's injury, he emphasized, "We cannot know exactly when Mooney will return. Right now, it is more important how we adjust going forward."

Coach Yoo also revealed the strategy to contain KT's top scorer, Paris Bass. "Park Jeong-woong, Han Seung-hee, and Reed will take turns defending him," he explained. "The key with Bass is not just guarding him one-on-one, but how well the help defense works from the side. I instructed the team to actively apply pressure starting with defense in off-ball situations."

He further emphasized rebounding to avoid being overwhelmed by KT's momentum. "We focused on basic transition play and strong defensive pressure, particularly the rebound battle," Coach Yoo noted. "In the first game, we allowed rebounds and gave up nearly 19 points from second-chance opportunities. We must stick to offensive and defensive fundamentals from the start of the game to control the flow."

With Thomas' return, Jeonggwanjang aims to break its losing streak. The team will start with Thomas, Han Seung-hee, Park Jeong-woong, Lens Avendo, and Byun Jun-hyung in today's starting lineup.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original