Two Kims of SBS, Kim Hoon And Kim Sung-Cheol, “We Stand Together“

`helping one another……`

It would be hard for professional players to take on all the laborious works sacrificing the opportunity to improve their personal records. In this sense, the double guns of the SBS Stars, Kim Hoon (1m 90) and Kim Sung-Cheol (1m 94) have unique characters. Both Kims are the leading shooters within the team as most expensive players with a salary of 150 million won. Therefore, there is no other way for these two players to fiercely compete each other.

However, since Kim Hoon has not played for two years due to obligatory public service, and three-year professional Kim Sung-Cheol has not reached his maturity yet, the team cannot win the game easily without the cooperation of two players. Keeping mutual necessity in mind, both players have harmoniously helped each other sacrificing their desire for improving their personal records. If one displays a good shooting, the other focuses on assisting rather than shooting. In the midst of opponent`s pressing defense against the shooters, the double guns of the SBS have tried to disperse the opponent`s defenders and at the same time to improve their personal records with the cooperative play.

Thus far Nov. 29th, it was Kim Sung-Cheol who has played as an assister for 12 games this season. Between two players who had suffered from poor shooting in the beginning of this season, Kim Hoon first recovered his shooting. Since then, Kim Sung-Cheol has been concentrating on assisting Kim Hoon. As of now, thanks to such a cooperation, Kim Hoon recorded 13.3 point per game, 0.9 points higher than Kim Sung-Cheol (12.4 points per game), and Kim Sung-Cheol could play an assisting role faithfully recording 3.0 assists per game, exceeding Kim Hoon who recorded 1.2 assists per game. Kim Sung-Cheol`s average assists were larger than those of leading guard Eun Hee-Seok.

It was because of a great contribution of Coach Park In-Kyu and Coach Lee Sang-Beom that these two players, who became teammates for the first time, could play harmoniously putting their competitive mind set aside.

In particular, the harmony of two Kims resulted from the intensive training of former SBS player, Coach Lee Sang-Beom, who joined the team for the first time this year after the basketball study in the United States. Coach Lee said, "Two players seem to know well that to stand together is the only way to bring the team up to the next level as well as themselves."

Sang-Ho Kim hyangsan@donga.com