"I felt like I was being hunted." Sono players, united by allegations of being chosen by SK, played hard despite physical exhaustion

*This content was translated by AI.

"I felt like I was being hunted."

The voice of Goyang Sono's Nathan Knight (29) in the Korean Basketball League (KBL) rose slightly. This happened when he was asked, "How do you feel about the allegations that Seoul SK chose Sono?"

The 2025–2026 KBL quarterfinal playoff Game 3 was held on the 16th at Goyang Sono Arena in Goyang City. Sono secured a dramatic 66-65 victory over SK, clinching their first-ever quarterfinal playoff berth with a perfect 3-0 series record.

After the game, Knight entered the interview room alongside his teammate Kevin Kambeo (25). He stated, "I believe that all teams in the KBL can win if they work hard and give their best." He then frankly added, "While I usually strive to be as humble as possible, I felt my pride was deeply hurt because I felt targeted and hunted regarding the allegation that SK chose Sono."

He further revealed, "The same was true for other players. Thanks to that, we were able to focus more and prepare well for the series, and I am proud that we achieved a sweep victory."

Knight led the team to victory with a game-high 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists. In particular, he made a crucial basket near the basket with 4.3 seconds remaining in the game, completing a dramatic comeback from a 64-65 deficit.

Kambeo, who contributed 19 points and 9 rebounds, responded to the same question by saying, "I felt that young players who worked hard to earn their opportunities were not being respected."

Earlier, SK faced allegations of playing an "insincere game" in their final regular-season match to avoid facing Busan KCC in the playoffs and instead choose Sono. Ultimately, the KBL Disciplinary Committee convened, imposing a 5 million won fine on head coach Heon Hee-cheol and issuing a warning to the SK franchise.

This controversy ultimately served as a positive stimulus for the Sono players. Having fought fiercely for a playoff berth until the final stretch of the regular season, the Sono players, despite facing physical challenges, united with determination and mental strength to achieve the unexpected miracle of a 3-0 sweep victory.

Sono head coach Son Chang-hwan (50) said, "During yesterday's (15th) training session, I saw players who could barely move their feet, and I thought we were pushing too hard, so I immediately stopped practice and sent them home. I am so grateful to the players who overcame that." He also expressed gratitude to home fans, stating, "We were able to win thanks to the support from fans who filled the Goyang Gymnasium to capacity (6,120 people) for the first time."

Sono, who advanced to the playoffs as the fifth seed in the regular season and defeated fourth-seeded SK, will face first-seeded Changwon LG in the quarterfinal playoffs starting on the 23rd.

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*This content was translated by AI.