The Korea Basketball League of 2013 resonated with the wild roar of tigers from the Korea University (KU) Basketball Team. KU Basketball Team proudly won the 2013 Pro-Amateur Basketball Championship, a basketball tournament in which ten professional teams, the top five schools from the college league, and the Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps participated. The Granite Tower (GT) had a special opportunity to meet three players from KU Basketball Team – Park Jae Hyun, Lee Jong Hyun, and Moon Seong Gon, and get a glimpse of their lives as basketball players and as students.

Park Jae Hyun (’10, Physical Education)

As a leader of KU Basketball Team, I always try to keep the team tightly bonded and lead members to trust one another. Instead of forcing the members to feel pressure or be burdened with winning the championship, I emphasized the importance of participating in each tournament with a festive, enjoyable mood. Consequently, they were able to gain firm trust and growing confidence, leading themselves to become the winner of the championship over highly competitive professional teams. As a senior at KU, I rarely spent time with my peers from the same department. In fact, I never had a chance to go on Membership Trainings (MT) or share any memorable experiences with them. In addition, despite the fact that I have gained a broad range of knowledge from classes at KU, I would not be able to attend many classes this semester—the last one for me as a KU student—especially if I am fortunate enough to enter the draft. It does not mean, however, that I would abandon my pursuit of learning. After achieving my primary goal—becoming a professional basketball player—I plan to extend and deepen my education.

Lee Jong Hyun (’13, Physical Education)

The 2013 Pro-Amateur Basketball Championship certainly marked a significant stepping stone for my future development. The tournament granted me a valuable opportunity to learn my strengths and weaknesses. Having long limbs, I was able to demonstrate my capability in plays that require height, especially in blocking shots and middle shots. On the other hand, I felt that I could have shown more developed skills in one-on-one play. Most importantly, however, it was a great chance to realize how strong our team is, and I saw its endless potential. Along with highly skilled players, the outstanding teamwork led our team to win the competition and led me to receive honor in earning the title of this season’s Most Valuable Player (MVP). Many people tend to forget that I am a freshman at KU. It is unfortunate that student athletes including me hardly get to enjoy campus life. Last semester, I was on a heavy schedule especially because I participated in matches on the national squad. This semester is also tightly scheduled. If I were an ordinary college student, I would love to plan to travel and gain memorable experiences.

Moon Seong Gon (’12, Physical Education)

As we kept moving up to next round in 2013 Pro-Amateur Basketball Championship and eventually won the tournament, I realized that our team is highly competitive, even with professional teams. I gained confidence and our team gained a stronger bond. I was able to check my strength—three pointers—once again. Along with my duty as a basketball player, I try to fulfill my responsibility as a student. Since student athletes spend most of their time training and participating in tournaments, we are not able to experience the dynamic college life that many ordinary students do. I feel satisfied with certain things that other students are required to do, including registering for courses and writing papers. Unfortunately, however, my tight schedules do not allow me a chance to interact with students from different departments. If I were an ordinary college student, I would like to stroll across campus leisurely and talk to friends at a café. I would also like to participate in MT and experience campus romance, just like many students do.

▲ Photographed by Chang Hae Sun, Kim Sun Oh