Fateful South Korea-Japan Showdown... Basketball Star Heo Hoon to Pick Up Mic and Cheer On

[Anchor]

The men's national basketball team, chasing its first championship in 12 years, will face host nation Japan in the final tomorrow evening (the 20th). In this ultimate showdown carrying both national pride and a gold medal, basketball star Heo Hoon will pick up the microphone to cheer on his senior and junior teammates.

Reporter Kim Hyeong-yeol has the details.

[Reporter]

We beat Japan by 17 points in the group stage last Sunday, but complacency is out of the question as Japan has been growing stronger with each game, including a crushing victory over China yesterday.

Both teams are neck-and-neck in 3-point shooting percentage for this tournament, and while we rank first in average scoring, Japan's offensive power is also formidable.

South Korea holds the advantage in organic passing and pressure defense, while Japan has the upper hand in height-related areas such as rebounds and blocked shots.

In particular, naturalized player Kirk stands out with his height of 2m 11cm, though he has shown weaknesses in terms of stamina.

We have bolstered our height with the additions of Yeo Jun-seok and Choi Jun-yong, who missed the previous matchup, and expectations are running high as ace Lee Hyun-jung's shooting touch is at its peak.

[Lee Hyun-jung/National Basketball Team Player: The final isn't about 'who needs to play better,' but rather 'who can focus more and who wants it more,' which I really think decides the outcome. We will definitely make sure to win the gold medal!]

In this final match where the gold medal is on the line, KBL's top star Heo Hoon will take the SBS microphone.

Although unable to play on the court due to an injury, he plans to share the emotional golden moment from the commentary box for the very first time in his life.

[Heo Hoon/SBS Basketball Commentator: I think I'm going to be quite nervous. Even more so than playing basketball. I shouldn't accidentally get too excited and start swearing or anything. I'm a bit worried about that....]

He promised to add fun and depth to the game with his signature wit and the unique know-how of an active player.

[Heo Hoon/SBS Basketball Commentator: Since there are seniors and juniors I know well, I know all their strengths precisely. I think I can better convey the flow of the game, tempo, and what strategic tactics have been brought out to the public. I do have an eye for the game. For the Asian Games, it's SBS!]

(Video capture by Yoo Dong-hyeok, Video editing by Hwang Ji-young, Design by Kim Ye-ji and Jeon Yu-geun)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.