Rising star Yeo urges for more energy for Korea

SEOUL (Korea) - Korea have failed to finish in the top four in the Asian youth continental championships since the arrivals of Australia and New Zealand. Yeo Jun Seok emphasized that his compatriots must bring even more energy to change that, starting at the FIBA U18 Asian Championship 2020.

There have been two youth events thus far with the Oceania powers participating, and Korea have bowed out in the Quarter-Finals both times. Korea lost to Australia at the U16 level to miss out on the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2018. And then the Koreans were bounced at the same stage by China in the FIBA U18 Asian Championship 2018, failing to qualify for the FIBA U19 World Cup 2019.

 
"They are more athletic than us, so we have to box out and play harder than them," Yeo said about facing Australia and New Zealand.

The 6ft 8in (2.04m) forward was on the Korean team that ended up finishing eighth at the U18 continental level, losing the final two games to Iran and Bahrain. Despite playing two years younger than the rest of the competition in Thailand, Yeo averaged 16.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, and 1.2 steals in his first international tournament.

"I didn't play that well. I have to get better," Yeo said about his performance two summers ago.

Yeo has had other international experiences upon which to call. He was named the MVP of the Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Asia camp in 2019 and then participated at the 2020 BWB Global Camp at the NBA All-Star weekend in Chicago.

With all those high-level events behind him, Yeo is now looking to be one of the leaders this summer at the U18 level.

"I want to win the championship. I have to talk to the players and tell them to bring more energy - just like me," he said.

Korea had been at or near the top of Asia before the Oceanians' arrivals. After finishing second at the first two U16 Asian tournaments and then losing to Japan in the 2013 Quarter-Finals, Korea won the 2015 continental crown, beating Lebanon, China, and Chinese Taipei in the Knockout Phase.

Korea had also played at three of the first four FIBA U17 Basketball World Cups, taking 12th place in 2010, 11th in 2012 and then beating France and the Dominican Republic in the Group Phase before knocking out China in the Round of 16 for eighth place.

Before missing out on the U19 World Cup last summer, Korea has reached the previous four events with four straight U18 Asia podiums - second in 2010 and 2012 and third in 2014 and 2016.

"I WANT TO WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP. I HAVE TO TALK TO THE PLAYERS AND TELL THEM TO BRING MORE ENERGY - JUST LIKE ME."- YEO

Korea have been given a spot at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2020, and there is also the FIBA U18 Asian Championship 2020 - the dates and location of which are still to be determined.

But the competition is fierce for the top four spots among the likes of Australia, China, Japan, Lebanon, New Zealand, Philippines, and Korea, among others. And Yeo said the Koreans would need to play at a maximum energy level to reclaim their spot in the top four of those events.

FIBA