'Revival of the Super Team': 6th-Place KCC in the Regular Season, Sweeping the 6th-Team Playoffs with Three Straight Wins, Advances to the Semifinals in 'Overwhelming' Fashion... Crushing 3rd-Place DB [Busan On-Site Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

It is a rebellion by the 6th-place team in the regular season. BusanKCC secured its spot in the semifinals of the 6th-Team Playoffs (PO) by winning three consecutive games.

On the 17th at 7 p.m., KCC defeated WonjuDB 98-89 in a home game at Busan Sajik Gymnasium during the third match of the 2025–2026 LG Electronics Professional Basketball 6-Team Playoffs. With this victory, KCC completed the series with three wins and no losses, advancing to the semifinals.

'Super Team' Key players shone brightly across the board. Choi Jun-yong scored 29 points with three three-pointers, six rebounds, and six assists. Heo Hoon added 17 points and six assists, including four three-pointers. Song Kyochang contributed 15 points, nine rebounds, and six assists. Sean Long recorded a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Heo Woong added 12 points and five assists.

For DB, Henry Ellenson scored 21 points, Lee Sun-Albano recorded 19 points and nine assists, while Park In-woong and Lee Yong-woo contributed 15 and 17 points, respectively.

From the opening minutes, both teams engaged in an intense offensive battle. Just four minutes into the game, DB led 11-10, with KCC quickly responding to 10 points, setting a tight contest. Choi Jun-yong led KCC's early scoring with six points, while DB countered with three-pointers from Albano, Lee Yong-woo, and Park In-woong.

Amid a chaotic game, KCC seized the momentum first. While DB faltered with overly aggressive offensive attempts, Heo Woong hit a go-ahead three-pointer, flipping the score to 15-14 in favor of KCC.

However, DB's shooting prowess remained sharp. After Park In-woong tied the game at 20-20, DB capitalized on transition opportunities, with Lee Yong-woo sinking consecutive three-pointers to reach seven three-pointers made within 7 minutes and 23 seconds of the first quarter. DB's signature fast-paced offense came alive, highlighted by Ellenson finishing an alley-oop pass from Albano with a dunk. The first quarter was led by Choi Jun-yong and Lee Yong-woo, each scoring 11 points.

The close contest continued into the second quarter. With the score tied at 36-36, Choi Jun-yong hit a three-pointer, followed by a successful defensive stop and a fast-break layup, giving KCC the lead. DB responded with three-pointers from Jeong Ho-young and Jeong Hyo-geun to tie the game at 41-41.

The turning point came in the middle of the second quarter. A double-dribble turnover by DB's Mustapha shifted momentum sharply in KCC's favor. Sean Long scored inside, and Heo Woong hit back-to-back three-pointers, pushing KCC ahead 46-41. Mustapha and the DB coaching staff protested strongly, but the call stood. KCC extended its lead with three-pointers from Sean Long and Song Kyochang, ending the first half at 53-46. DB committed seven turnovers in the second quarter alone, undermining its own performance.

Early in the third quarter, DB showed its strength by tying the game at 55-55 with consecutive three-pointers from Park In-woong and Ellenson.

At that moment, a variable occurred for KCC. With 7 minutes and 41 seconds remaining, Choi Jun-yong collided with an opponent during a screen, complained of knee pain, and was substituted out.

In this critical moment, KCC's focus shone through. After Sean Long scored inside and Heo Woong hit a three-pointer, KCC regained a five-point lead. Additional points from Hernandez and Heo Woong extended the lead to 69-59, a 10-point margin. Fortunately, with 2 minutes and 27 seconds left, Choi Jun-yong returned to the court after Jang Jae-seok was called for foul trouble.

DB was again hampered by mistakes. After Choi Jun-yong scored, Hernandez intercepted a DB turnover and finished with a powerful fast-break dunk, making the score 74-62. Ellenson then committed a dribbling error, losing the ball. KCC maintained a comfortable 13-point lead heading into the final quarter.

However, DB also displayed its strength early in the fourth quarter. Consecutive three-pointers from Jeong Hyo-geun and Lee Yong-woo narrowed the gap to 72-78, a six-point deficit.

KCC broke DB's pursuit with consecutive scoring. Heo Woong hit a three-pointer, and Kim Dong-hyun converted his first shot with two points. KCC then countered Albano's three-pointer with a three-pointer from Heo Hoon, maintaining an 11-point lead.

DB launched relentless attacks until the final buzzer but could not overcome KCC's overwhelming firepower. KCC successfully advanced to the semifinals against the 3rd-place DB team from the regular season.

Ultimately, KCC closed the series early with three straight wins at home, preserving its energy for the semifinals. The first semifinal match between 2nd-place Anyang Jeonggwan and KCC will be held at Jeonggwan's home on the 24th.

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*This content was translated by AI.