*This content was translated by AI.
Heavenly troops and horses are coming back. Suwon KT key guard Kim Sun-hyung (37) returned after 85 days.
KT and Wonju DB met in the fifth round of LG Electronics' professional basketball regular league from 2025 to 2026 at Suwon KT Sonic Boom Arena on the 1st. This season, the two teams are in a tight race with two wins and two losses against each other.
KT, ranked 19 wins, 17 losses and 5th, has not been in a bad mood lately. Despite the bad news of starting guard Joel Cagoulan and center Ha Yoon-ki leaving due to injuries, he has won two consecutive games by catching Samsung in Seoul and Korea Gas Corporation in Daegu.
Before the game, KT coach Moon Kyung-eun said, "DB recently played two overtime games." He must have used a lot of energy, he said. "I ordered the players to run a lot and talk a lot." He stressed that he should not lose in the physical match.
One-two punch was definitely cited as the target of caution. Coach Moon Kyung-eun said, "Lee Sun-Albano and Henry Ellonson will lead the game. In particular, Ellonson has a good scoring ability against KT, he said. "We need to increase defense to induce physical exhaustion and reduce scoring ability. "If we stop the two players in the 10-point range, we have a chance of winning," he explained.
Key guard Kim Sun-hyung, who was away due to a heel injury, will return. It was his first appearance in 85 days since the match against Busan KCC on November 8 last year.
As for how to use Kim Sun-hyung, who returned, he said, "Sickness is not all better. It is a process of recovering by running with patience. He said, "My senses must have been rusty because I didn't play for about two months," adding, "I also decided that it would be better to play as a substitute than a starter." I plan to use it for about 3 minutes per quarter and within 15 minutes at the most. The goal is about 12 minutes," he said.
"I could use it in the fourth quarter if I get in a hurry, but I have seven games left before the break period. We have to strengthen our bodies well during the break for more than two weeks and use them in earnest at the end of the regular season and at the playoffs," he added.
Against this, the away team DB is on a strong rise. DB, which has won seven consecutive games in the fourth round and raised its ranking, recently beat Changwon LG and Korea Gas Corporation to regain its winning streak. Victory is desperately needed as he is in a fierce second-place battle with Anyang Jeong Kwan-jang with 23 wins and 13 losses.
The reliable part of DB is Lee Sun-Albano. With Albano in good shape, Jung Hyo-geun and Henry Ellonson are supporting inside and outside. In the previous game, he scored as many as 108 points.
However, there are concerns. Kang Sang-jae, a key member of the team, left due to injury. For DB, the key is how much Kim Bo-bae and Lee Yoo-jin fill Kang Sang-jae's gap. DB manager Kim Joo-sung said, "I'm worried that the players have been injured one after another due to a series of injuries. There is also a burden of physical strength," he said.
In particular, regarding Kang Sang-jae's condition, he said, "I go into surgery on Monday. It's a wrist part, and it's been talked about for about three months in rehabilitation. We will have to wait and see whether he will return at the end of the season," he said.
Head coach Kim Joo-sung then said, "We need to minimize the gap by using Lee Yoo-jin as No. 3."
KT's main gun Williams was blocked as a strategy for the game. Coach Kim Joo-sung said, "Williams' condition and shooting sense are good. We need to strengthen your defense," he said. "We need to induce other players to handle the ball coming from Williams. "I decided that it would be better to let the rest of the players shoot than Williams' shot," he said.
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*This content was translated by AI.
