Key matchup: Former Gonzaga forward Junseok Yeo surging for Seattle U

SEATTLE – Gonzaga already has the full scoop on Junseok Yeo, but based on his recent production, the former Zag-turned-Seattle U forward will still be a central part of the game plan Mark Few and his coaching staff prepare for Saturday’s matchup between the Zags and Redhawks at Climate Pledge Arena (7 p.m., KHQ/ESPN+).

After selecting point guard and defensive ace Maleek Arington for the key matchup earlier this month, we expected leading scorer Brayden Maldonado would take the honors ahead of the second meeting between the in-state West Coast Conference opponents.

But Yeo’s exceeded or matched his career-high scoring total in two of the last three games and he’s been Seattle U’s most reliable offensive player during that stretch, with 48 total points against Saint Mary’s, Oregon State and San Diego. That included a career-high 24-point outing against the Gaels, who’d allowed that many points to just two other players this season, and 18 points in Thursday’s 75-64 win over San Diego.

In other words, the former Gonzaga forward should have all the confidence he needs heading into the second matchup of the season against his old teammates and coaches.

Yeo had 10 points and knocked down a deep 3-pointer at the end of the shot clock against Gonzaga in his return to the Kennel earlier this month. Yeo went 3 of 9 from the 3-point line in that game, setting the tone for his 6 of 8 effort against Saint Mary’s two days later.

The Seoul, South Korea, native has been hit or miss from the 3-point line (32.4%) but he’s making 45% of his total shots from the field while averaging 12.3 points per game to go with 3.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists.

Yeo was on Gonzaga and Seattle U’s radar s long before he signed at either West Coast Conference school. Both coaching staffs followed his career with the South Korean youth national team, monitoring the forward at the 2021 FIBA U-19 World Cup when he led all players with a tournament-high 25.6 ppg.

He averaged just 6.9 minutes in his first season at GU in 2023-24 and just 4.1 last season before entering the transfer portal and relocating to the Emerald City – a decision he expanded on in a story that appeared on Seattle U’s Athletics website in October.

“I spent some time at Gonzaga, three years, and I just wanted to play,” Yeo said. “I wanted more playing time to make up for the lost COVID year. I visited a few schools, but I felt with Seattle U, when I visited here, it really felt like home. The coaches were really loving and welcoming. Our coaches are young too. In Korean culture, it can be hard to talk with older people, so I felt with the coaches here it would be a lot easier to talk with them and communicate with them – I felt really safe and comfortable here.”

Based on who’s available for Gonzaga now, the matchup with Yeo could look slightly different than it did two weeks ago. When both of GU’s bigs were on the floor against the Redhawks, Yeo was often matched up with Braden Huff, who had 28 points but is now sidelined for at least four weeks with a knee injury.

The Zags used multiple defenders to guard Yeo on Jan. 2 and it’s unlikely that’ll change Saturday. Steele Venters was the primary defender on Yeo, but with the senior wing no longer in GU’s starting lineup, the Zags could go with Emmanuel Innocenti or Huff’s replacement, Jalen Warley, in Saturday’s game.