The Korean men’s 3×3 national team, aiming for the best ever, passed the first gate to advance to the main draw. The next opponent is New Zealand, the ‘biggest enemy’.

In the first match of the FIBA ​​3×3 Asia Cup 2023 Qualifying Draw Group B held at Singapore Sports Hub OCBC Square on the 29th, the Korean men’s 3×3 national team succeeded in winning 15-8 against Turkmenistan.

There was a bit of a creak, but it got off to a good start anyway. The national team passed the first gate to advance to the main draw, the first goal of this tournament.

At the beginning of the game, the national team, which suffered from a field battle as if all the players were nervous, widened the score and seized the victory with the performances of Heo Hoon and Kim Nak-hyun after the mid-game.

The men’s 3×3 national team, consisting of Heo Hoon, Song Gyo-chang, Kim Nak-hyun and Park Jung-hyun, who are currently serving in the military at Sangmu, will compete in the Asian Cup qualifying draw Group B to advance to the main draw against New Zealand, Tonga and Turkmenistan.

New Zealand, which is considered a favorite for the championship, is Korea’s biggest opponent. As it was repeatedly emphasized in the article, Korea must catch New Zealand to look forward to advancing to the main draw. In this match, defeat means elimination, so it is very important for Korea to play against New Zealand.

On the same day, New Zealand also played its first game against Tonga, and New Zealand’s performance did not deviate much from expectations.

Although weak, New Zealand’s structure against Tonga was clearly threatening as expected. In particular, the height was overwhelming. New Zealand’s key players are Ty Winyard (209cm) and Dominic Kelman-Poto (202cm), who played together at last year’s FIBA ​​3×3 World Cup. Both players have the most international 3×3 experience of any New Zealand member, and Kelman Potho was also a member of the FIBA ​​3×3 Asia Cup 2022 New Zealand runner-up.

Winyard (4 points) and Kelman Potho (8 points) showed off their different strengths against Tonga and led the victory. At 209 cm, Wynn Yard’s height was clearly intimidating, and Kelman Porto was his ace as he diligently moved to and from my outskirts. In addition, the two players occasionally played high and low games and boasted good compatibility.

Therefore, in order to cross New Zealand’s wall, the defense and activity that can suppress the two players’ grip under the goal are needed. As both players are big men with both strength and height, the role of the tallest big man Park Jung-hyun at 202 cm seems to be important.

Korea has a vague fear of New Zealand’s big man, but at least it’s a power that doesn’t lag behind as much as the front line. Even though it was only one game, New Zealand’s leading guard jin was not much of a threat compared to the big man jin. Heo Hoon and Kim Nak-hyun, who are equipped with 1-on-1 skills and 2-point shooting (5-to-5 3-point shooting) skills, seem to be worthy players to bet on.메이저사이트

If Heo Hoon and Kim Nak-Hyun’s outer guns explode, the road to the main draw can be much easier. The key is whether he can block the movements of New Zealand’s big men with a lot of activity. You also need to increase your concentration. New Zealand is a team with rich experience in 3×3 international competitions, so a difficult game is expected if their movements slow down due to nervousness at the beginning of the game, such as the match against Turkmenistan.

The national team, which has been preparing for New Zealand since Korea, is determined to risk everything against New Zealand.

The match between Korea and New Zealand, which can be said to be the de facto main draw match, will be held at 2:05 pm on the 30th in Korea time.