The Final Match of the 2023 University Basketball League

Nadiah

University league basketball is something that I did not expect myself to get invested in. However, ever since the first match I saw between Hanyang University and Korea University, I was hooked. With information about upcoming matches being very accessible through each university’s sports division’s Instagram, I found myself going to more and more matches.

September 14th 2023 marks the final match day of the season for the university basketball league and was between Korea University and Yonsei University. Healed at Korea University’s Tiger Dome. It also happened to be each team’s captain’s final day as university basketball players as both of them were about to get drafted into professional basketball.

Out of all the matches I had watched so far, this was the most intense for various reasons. One, as Korea University and Yonsei University, are notorious for their rivalry, this became somewhat of a YeonGoJeon (a term given for Yonsei-Korea University competitions), so naturally the stadium was split into 2 sections for each university’s respective supporters. Secondly, people were eager to see if Korea University could defend their positions as champions or if Yonsei University could reign victorious.

The game started off pretty intense as Yonsei University was taking the lead. However, it would not be long before Korea University caught up. Both teams kept on matching each other’s scores to the point where everyone thought it would be a tied match. As time was running out, both teams kept on missing their shots and the scoreboard was left on 57-57 for the past few minutes to what seemed like the final score for the match. But in the last 10 seconds, what looked like a potential missed shot, happened to be the winning shot that would hold Korea University’s position of champions of university basketball, making the final score 60-57.

Everyone was on the edge of their seats and when the final shot went in, the sound of Korea University’s anthem played and the whole stadium got up to cheer for the reigning champions, well, except for Yonsei University supporters.