“Everyone worked hard to prepare for the championship, and I think that’s why I was able to win the MVP award.”
These are the words of forward and center Heo Jung-won, who was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) after leading Seongnam Soojeongcho to victory in the girls’ basketball championship at the 52nd National Youth Games.
Heo was named MVP at the National Youth Games, held at the Ulsan Institute of Science and Technology gymnasium from March 27 to 30, after leading her team to victory with a big performance while her teammates struggled with string injuries.
“My teammates were unable to participate 메이저놀이터 due to a large number of injuries, but the remaining players did their best until the end, which led to a good result and I am grateful to receive the MVP award,” Heo said.
The 175-centimeter tall player led the team to a big win in the preliminary round against Daejeon Gakcheoncho with 17 points and eight rebounds, and then recorded a double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds in the quarterfinals with Jeon Ha-yeon, the team’s “powerhouse,” out with an injury.
She followed that up with 19 points and 18 rebounds in the semifinals and 14 points and 18 rebounds in the finals, totaling 67 points and 56 rebounds in the four-game championship.
He was exposed to basketball from a young age by his father, Heo Nam-young, who coaches for the Seoul SK in the professional basketball league, and fell in love with the game and started playing last year. Despite his short history, his skills are growing rapidly as he continues to receive advice from his father.
He is so passionate about basketball that he leaves for school at 8 a.m. every day to compensate for his one-and-a-half-hour commute. “When I shoot a free throw, I feel that the odds are against me, so I go to school early to practice and go to class. It’s not hard because I’m trying to get better,” he said.
Heo Jung-won has a bright future in Korean women’s basketball, according to her coach, Im Soo-jung. “Even though she is an elementary school student, she has her own dreams and goals, and she is a passionate player with a strong mindset, focus, and determination,” the coach said. “In the boys’ tournament, when the main players were struggling with injuries, she led the team by playing all quarters despite having a nagging injury herself.”
“My first desire is to become a great national team member and make my country known for basketball by being taller and making up for my deficiencies, and my biggest dream is to enter the WNBA,” Heo said.
“I would like to thank my coach for always giving me warm and fun coaching and my parents for taking me to school early in the morning,” she said.
