Gwangju High’s Jo Joo-young shows strong confidence in her shot.
All teams are in the final stretch of training ahead of the start of the 61st Spring National Boys and Girls Basketball Federation Championship on March 7 in Haenam, South Jeolla Province. Gwangju, which plans to compete in the entire tournament this year, is also in full swing, traveling to Jeju, Haenam, Mokpo, and Yeosu.
Gwangju High has a team of 11 players, including three juniors, four sophomores, and four freshmen who will be entering their freshman year in 2024. “We are better than last year, but we are still weak. 바카라사이트 We plan to compete in all competitions to give our players a lot of experience.”
He hopes that Jo Joo-young (184 cm, G/F) will be the team’s starter. Coach Woo said of Jo Joo-young, “He is short and doesn’t understand basketball yet, but he has an advantage in shooting. In her freshman and sophomore years, she energized the team with her shooting. This year, he has improved his shot, and he works hard to rebound and do the dirty work. My defense has also improved a lot, giving me more space. She is gradually improving,” he said positively.
Jo Joo-young, who we met in Yeosu, said, “I’ve been training hard with weights and I’m healthy without any pain,” and added, “Everyone is working hard. The coach has designed the training well, so we are doing our best in a good environment,” he said of the team atmosphere.
“I wanted to play (elite sports) since I was young, but my parents were against it, but I would go out at dawn by myself and play basketball,” he recalls.
Despite his short career, his confidence in his shot is unparalleled. “I’m confident in my shot no matter what. I always practice, and I’ve been shooting a lot even before I started playing basketball,” Cho said.
“I can also play good one-on-one defense. I’ve been defending my opponent’s aces since middle school, so I can be persistent,” he said.
He also pointed out what he needs to improve. “I need to communicate more and be more relaxed when defending. Also, I used to think that if the shot didn’t go in, I had to keep throwing and find my groove. But not now. If the shot doesn’t go in, I’ll try to solve the offense by breaking through,” he said, predicting that he will improve from last year.
When asked about his role model, he chose LG‘s Yoon Won-sang, saying, “He has a good shot. I want to emulate him because he always shoots with confidence.”
This year, Gwangju doesn’t have a starting center. They have to overcome their short height disadvantage. “Everyone has to participate in rebounding and play fast basketball,” Cho said. Personally, I’m trying to shoot more confidently. My coach always tells me, ‘I know you work hard. Shoot with confidence,” he said, revealing the direction the team and himself need to take.
At the end of the interview, Jo Joo-young expressed her heartfelt wishes. “Everyone is working hard. I want to win a lot. I want to win a lot. I want to win a lot with my teammates. I want to win a lot, and I want to play winning basketball with my teammates, and I will do anything to play winning basketball,” he said.