Na Yoon-jung (25, Woori Bank) and Lee Hae-ran (20, Samseom Life Insurance) were confident of winning the ‘Basketball Match between Korea and Japan’.
The Korean Women’sㅋㅋㅋ벳 Professional Basketball (WKBL) Rising Star Team, made up of young players under the age of 25, showed confidence ahead of the Korea-Japan match against the Japan Women’s Professional Basketball League (WJBL) All-Star Team in Tokyo, Japan on the 29th.
When asked about her determination to participate in the Korea-Japan All-Star exchange match, Na Yoon-jeong said, “Japan is a tricky team. I don’t have a ton of pressure though, the training atmosphere is good and I think I can have fun tomorrow because I work hard,” she said.
When asked what was difficult about Japan, she said, “Fast is similar in style to ours, but more delicate.”
She was full of confidence, perhaps because of her experience of beating Japan in an international competition. Na Yoon-jeong introduced, “I once beat Japan in 12 years in an international competition with the under-18 national team.” She added, “The lack of an orthodox center on the Rising All-Star team is considered a weakness, but I think it will be a game worth playing because the tall players have good mobility and can dribble.”
Lee Hae-ran of Samsung Life, who was also selected as a rising star, showed confidence by saying, “We have to win” when asked how the match will be tomorrow. Lee Hae-ran experienced a big stage by playing against Japan in the youth national team and against Australia in the adult national team.
When asked about Japan’s strengths, he said, “The center is not that tall, and Japanese basketball is recognized as fast basketball, but if we play fast basketball, we will be able to play on an equal footing with Japan.”
The WKBL Rising Star Team will face off against the Japanese All-Star Team at Ariake Arena in Tokyo on the 29th. In Japan, Lamu Tokashiki, who also played an active part in the US Women’s Professional Basketball Association (WNBA), Yuki Miyazawa, silver medalist at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, and Himawari Yakao will appear.