“I was very happy with the trip.”

Goyang Sono 텍사스홀덤 is busy preparing for the season, starting with a match against Sungkyunkwan University on Oct. 10, followed by a series of practice matches against various college and professional teams. In early September, the team will also train at Vivaldi Park in Hongcheon-gun.

The creation of SONO was the icing on the cake for the team. The players were not paid by their former team, Day One, and were left with nowhere to go when Day One was expelled from the KBL in June. Training began when the KBL stepped in and helped them use the Goyang Gymnasium.

Despite the difficulties, the team stuck together. Even though Jeon Sung-hyun was called up to the men’s national basketball team and Lee Jung-hyun was called up to the U national team, their friendship was strong. On July 7, the team breathed a sigh of relief when they learned that SONO had submitted a letter of intent to start a team. In anticipation of the good news, the team went on an overnight trip at the suggestion of Jeon Sung-hyun.

Steady Wook said, “(Jeon) Sung-hyun made the offer first, and we went on a one-night, two-day trip to Gapyeong to play together and relax since the team did well. Actually, I didn’t get to play much in the offseason. I lived at my friend’s house and trained at Sungkyunkwan University. So I was very happy about that trip,” he explained.

“It was really fun. There was a room for games like darts, a pool, and karaoke. I don’t think I’ve been in the water in years, and we all laughed so hard when we dunked (Joe) Jae-woo in the water. It was like catching a boss monster in a game, and everyone was aiming for him. When we grilled meat, my older brothers wouldn’t let me hold the tongs, but since I was the youngest, I helped them by bringing them food or drinks that they didn’t have,” he says with a laugh.

Along with Cho Jae-woo, Shin is a rookie who was selected in the 2022 KBL Rookie Draft. Unlike his older brothers, who had already established themselves, the environment at Day One was more difficult and unnerving for the rookie, but he was able to persevere because his older brothers helped him every step of the way.

“It was my first offseason after my first season in the pros, and there were a lot of tough situations. My brothers told me, ‘Cheer up. It’s okay,’ and they helped me through it. I got some good news and was able to travel with them. I’m really, really grateful for that.”

The team’s unity and hard work paid off, and they were able to sweat it out like any other offseason. Sono’s hard work is over. Now, what rewards await them?