Just one win remains to achieve a historic back-to-back championship. "I already want to be done, but..." Coach Kim Wan-soo shows no complacency [Yongin Field]

*This content was translated by AI.

Only one step remains. Kim Wan-soo (49), head coach of Cheongju KB Stars, who is aiming for the third consecutive championship in the team's history, expressed strong confidence in closing out the series on the road.

KB will face Yongin Samsung Life and BNK Financial in the third game of the 2025-2026 Women's Professional Basketball Championship Finals (best-of-five) at 2:25 p.m. on the 26th at Yongin Indoor Gymnasium. Having swept the first two games played at home, KB will lift the championship trophy with a sweep if they win today's game.

In the history of the championship finals, the probability of a team winning the title after winning the first two games is 100% (17 out of 17 times).

Before the game, Coach Kim Wan-soo met with reporters and said, "I already want to be done," adding, "The outcome will depend on how much the players and staff are united on the court. I want to finish strong."

However, it remains unclear whether regular season MVP Park Ji-soo will play due to her incomplete physical condition following an injury. Coach Kim Wan-soo stated, "Ji-soo will not warm up today. Although she feels sorry for wanting to help even a little, I believe there is no need for her to push herself." He further added, "During yesterday's meeting, Ji-soo said, 'The players on the court should be the main characters; I don't think I need to step in briefly.' I was so grateful for her mindset."

The gap left by Park Ji-soo has already been filled by the power of the small lineup, as proven in the first two games. Coach Kim Wan-soo said, "Last year, we held on without Ji-soo, and both the players and I developed significantly. The experience of reaching the fifth game of the playoffs has become a great asset." He emphasized, "Although we are shorter, we can overcome this through defensive adjustments. Even if we don't succeed today, we are confident that we are in a more advantageous position."

Coach Kim Wan-soo identified Kang I-seul as the key player for the third game. He said, "On average, I-seul tends to explode in the third game. I expect her to deliver today." He added, "Other players like Song Yun-ha and Lee Chae-eun are also holding up well. I am not overly concerned."

Regarding the excited atmosphere among the players ahead of the championship, he did not let his guard down. Coach Kim Wan-soo said, "I told the players not to get too excited from the start. We must stay true to the basics, such as defense and rebounding." He further stated, "The opposing Samsung team will come out with great determination, but we have been instructed to show even more energy than that."

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*This content was translated by AI.