The Taegeuk Warriors are ready for the Korea-Japan game.

The men’s basketball team, coached by Ahn Jun-ho, will host the Japanese national team in a series of friendlies at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan, on May 5 and 7. The Japanese basketball team, which will be competing in the Paris Olympics, will hold its departure ceremony in front of its home fans.

The Korean team arrived in Tokyo on March 3 and completed its final training session on the afternoon of March 4 at the Araake Arena Auxiliary Stadium. South Korea will warm up in the morning before tipping off against 파워볼사이트 Japan at 7 p.m. on Friday.

With an average age of 24, the team was young and upbeat. Coach Ahn Jun-ho and Seo Dong-cheol refined their game plan to press the opponent in one-on-one and two-on-three situations and force them into the fast break. The plan was to catch Japan’s fast guards such as Yuki Togashi and Yuki Kawamura.

Coach Seo ordered the players to practice the same drills as in practice, yelling “Foul!” Coach Seo showed off his athleticism by throwing himself at the players and falling down while coaching them. The players were also enthusiastic. Even the big men, including Lee Won-seok and Lee Doo-won, who wore the Taegeuk mark for the first time, actively participated in the fast break. “Nice!” praised the players who did well.

The national team no longer has the old guard of Ra Gun-ah, Kim Jong-kyu, Lee Seung-hyun, Kim Sun-hyung, and Lee Dae-sung. Instead, they are younger and more energetic, which is the best thing about this team. The players are also communicating better than ever.

The training started at 6:30 p.m. and lasted until 8 p.m. with a full house. By the end of the day, the players were divided into the Navy of Byun Jun-hyung, Oh Jae-hyun, Lee Woo-seok, Yang Jae-min, Ha Yoon-ki, and Park In-woong, and the gray of Lee Jung-hyun, Park Moo-bin, Yoo Yoo-sang, Moon Jung-hyun, Lee Won-seok, and Lee Doo-won, and they played five-on-five drills.

Coach Seo gave Ha Yoon-ki the task of being a “virtual Hawkinson”. When Ha Yoon-ki shot a basket, he said, “You’re Hawkinson,” and ordered her to shoot a three-pointer. He was determined to make the training as close to real life as possible. Coach Ahn concluded the drill by having Lee shoot free throws and rebound one-on-one.

After the training, Ha Yoon-ki said, “We don’t have Ragan-ah, Kim Jong-kyu, or Lee Seung-hyun, but we have Yang Jae-min, Lee Won-seok, and Lee Doo-won. The young bloods will fight against Japan,” he declared.

“Korean basketball is at a crossroads,” said Ahn Jun-ho. Japan has produced NBA players and built the latest 15,000-seat stadium, so they are ahead of Korea in many ways, but we will play with a spirit of determination,” he said.