Choi Hyun-min (33, 195 cm) brings a ray of hope to Sono’s big man woes in Korea.
The newly formed Goyang Sono have struggled early on this season. They brought in Jarrod Jones to replace the departed Dedrick Lawson as their starting DB, but he hasn’t shown any synergy with the Korean players. The lack of a solid domestic big man is also a big disadvantage. They have Kim Min-wook, Cho Jae-woo, and Kim Jin-yong, but none of them have been able to satisfy coach Kim Seung-ki.
The first round matchup of the 2023-2024 Jeonggwanjang Pro Basketball Sono and Anyang Jeonggwanjang at Anyang Gymnasium on the 4th. Before the game, coach Kim Seung-ki said, “I apologize to (Kim) Min-wook. I brought him here with Lawson in mind, but he went to another team, so I can’t play him much. We’re lacking in the No. 3 and No. 4 positions. I don’t think Jones is a good fit because we don’t have the roster, and (Dyonte) Davis will only get better with time,” he sighed.
In a difficult situation, Choi Hyun-min eased the domestic big man woes. Choi finished with 11 points, seven rebounds and three assists in 27 minutes and 20 seconds against Chung Kwan-jang. Three of his six three-pointers cracked the rim, and he also grabbed four offensive rebounds with his aggressive play.
What stands out most is her court margin. On the night, Choi posted a +12 court margin, the highest of any Sono player. This means that Sono scored 12 more points with Choi on the floor than with Jung Kwan-jang. This was significantly higher than the team’s one-two punch of Jeon Sung-hyun (+3) and Lee Jung-hyun (+2).
Choi Hyun-min, who can play both small forward and power forward, contributed significantly to the team in defense and rebounding. He was never outmatched in matchups with the likes of Kim Kyung-won and Jung Hyo-geun. He defended Kim Kyung-won and Jeong Hyo-geun with his whole body, who are both taller than him. His work allowed Lee Jung-hyun and Jeon Sung-hyun to focus more on offense.
The offensive role was very simple. Just like last season, when we had a chance in the corner, we took a bold three-point shot. I didn’t try to make too many plays. I missed two two-pointers, but I made three three-pointers and scored like Altoran. He looked out for his teammates in the lane and delivered three assists.
Led by a game-winning shot from Deyonte Davis, Sono held on for a hard-fought 84-82 victory and a valuable second win of the season. The spotlight was stolen by Jeon Sung-hyun (20 points, 5 three-pointers, 1 rebound) and Lee Jung-hyun (19 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists), but Choi Hyun-min was clearly one of the key contributors to the victory. 보스토토 주소
Choi Hyun-min eased SONO’s domestic big man woes. If he continues to play like he did tonight, he should be able to get more playing time at the power forward position. A matchup against Jung Kwan-jang would definitely show his value.