Lee Hyun-joong (23, 202 cm) was selected for his first official interview since joining the NBL. The NBL recognized his performance.
Lee came off the bench in the Hawks’ 84-83 home win over the Cairns Typhoons at Wynn Entertainment Center in Wollongong, 토토 Australia on Saturday, scoring seven points and grabbing six rebounds, including one three-pointer, in 17 minutes and nine seconds of action.
The first honorable mention goes to Tyler Harvey (20 points, four 3-pointers, three rebounds and five assists). Harvey hit a dramatic come-from-behind three-pointer with 0.3 seconds left in regulation when Illawarra was trailing by two points. The NBL also reported on its official website that “Harvey’s magical performance brought out the best in both teams.”
While not as spectacular as Harvey’s, Lee Hyun-jung’s alto-ran performance should not be forgotten. Lee hit a tying three-pointer midway through the fourth quarter, followed by an offensive rebound and a game-winning layup to help Illawarra snap a three-game losing streak.
After the game, the NBL held an official interview with head coach Jacob Zachcomas Ilawara and Lee Hyun-jung. The NBL recognized Lee’s performance. It was the first time Lee Hyun-jung was interviewed after the start of the regular season. “I’m happy to see him in the spotlight,” said coach Jack Komas.
“We had more offensive rebounds than them (19-13), so we should have won more easily. We have a lot to work on, but it was positive that the players communicated with each other and improved their chemistry on offense and defense. We played with a lot of trust in each other. We have a lot of talent on the offensive side of the ball.”
Lee has been a shooter since his days at Davidson College, but he said he is now focusing more on defense and rebounding. In fact, four of his seven points came from under the basket after he grabbed an offensive rebound.
“Under the basket is a battleground. I want to do my part not only in terms of rebounding, but also defensively. You can only shoot if you defend first. That’s why I was more focused on contributing to the defense.”
“I only scored two points in the third quarter, but I kept playing with the idea that ‘opportunities will come,'” said Lee Hyun-jung. I wanted to show my best defense by actively communicating with my teammates, and then I was able to get a chance to shoot.”