"The tallest elementary school student." Kim Ha-joon of Cheongju Jungang Elementary School said, "I want to grow up to 210cm."
"The tallest elementary school student." Kim Ha-joon of Cheongju Jungang Elementary School said, "I want to grow up to 210cm."
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"Being tall is advantageous when playing basketball. I think I can grab more rebounds."
Cheongju Jungang Elementary School won 65-34 in the preliminary match against Seongnam Elementary School in Busan at the 1st Cheongyang Pepper and Goo Gi-bae (hereinafter referred to as Cheongyang Pepper and Goo Gi-bae) on the 27th. ChungAng Elementary School, which won three consecutive preliminary league games with the victory, settled in the final round as No. 1 in the group.
Chung-Ang Elementary School, which has a tall trio such as Kim Ha-joon (184cm, C)-Noyul (180cm, C)-Yoon Jun-hyun (180cm, F), has lifted its first championship cup at the 2024 National Youth Harmony Basketball League Championship Yanggu Championship, which ended in August. He is determined to reach the top in this competition with momentum.
Kim Ha-joon, who was registered as the tallest golfer in the tournament according to her profile, said, "I'm glad that I ranked first in the group. Don't be greedy and let's win the championship step by step in defense."
Regarding the preliminary match against Maesan Elementary School, Kukwon Elementary School, and Busan Sungnam Elementary School, he said, "Maesan Elementary School is a good team, but we won easier than expected as a few players went out. The team finished well under the basket and rebounded well. Kookwon Elementary School was not that good (compared to other teams), but only played in the first quarter. He managed to secure his spot by pushing it out of the box before grabbing the rebound. In Seongnam Elementary School, the team didn't finish well under the basket, but the team members did a good job."
Kim Ha-joon, who played basketball at a club when he was a fourth grader, has been learning how to become an elite player since October last year. "I started out as an elite basketball player because I wanted to become one," Kim said. "I was about 176 centimeters tall when I started (from JoongAng elementary school) and I have grown to 184 centimeters tall now."
Asked if he had tested the growth plate, he said, "I have. I am not sure how much I will grow up to at least 190 centimeters tall. My dad is 180 centimeters tall and my mom 168 centimeters tall. I want to grow up to 210 centimeters tall. Being tall is advantageous when playing basketball. I think I can grab more rebounds."
He cited "rebound" as his strength. "Rebounding is my biggest strength. Other center players don't go to fastballs a lot, but I also participate in fastballs. If the guards don't get a layup, I'll catch and finish it," Kim said.
"When I post-play, I want to improve my various skills and footwork. I have to improve my finishing ability under the basket, so I practice a lot every day. And if there is an outside shot, the opponent's defense becomes tricky. Now I will practice more outside shots," he said, pointing out what he complements.
As for the advice I usually receive from coach Kim Dong-woo, he said, "When we defend, we usually stand in 2-3 regions. I am in charge of the lower right. Then, if the opponent catches the ball at 45 degrees, we have to check the shot, and he tells me about the defense after that. He also often tells me to shoot under the basket at once."
Kim Ha-joon of Chung-Ang Elementary School, who is aiming to win this year's championship, asked if there is any team that can keep him in check. "The members of Songjeong Elementary School are good at pressure defense, and they have good penetration and speed. When the press comes, the guards don't just come over, but they all try to go up and come down together. We also need to pay more attention to defense," Kim said, pointing to Songjeong Elementary School as the last gateway to win the championship.
Kim Ha-joon, who usually likes Yanis Antetokounmpo (the Milwaukee Bucks), said, "Quick and skillful. Made ability is also cool. As a basketball player is my dream, I will watch many KBL games in the future."
"I won the title for the first time at the (2024 National Youth Harmony Basketball League Championship Yanggu). I think winning is the result of showing my hard work at the stadium. I want to win this championship consecutively and win three gold medals including the Yoon Deok-ju Cup (to be held in November)."
Finally, Kim Ha-joon summed up the interview by saying, "I'm going to become a versatile player who takes rebounds and under-the-goal shots, and makes fast and good outside shots. To that end, I will do my best every moment and train hard to improve further." 토토사이트