'The 0% Miracle' Coach Ha Sang-yoon: "We Can't Run Away... We Will Push Forward Until the End" [Yongin Field]

*This content was translated by AI.

The only remaining path to the championship title is now a 'reverse sweep.' Cornered, Ha Sang-yoon (50), head coach of Yongin Samsung Life, has resolved to fire the starting gun for a turnaround at home.

Samsung Life and Cheongju KB Stars will face off in Game 3 of the BNK Financial 2025-2026 Women's Professional Basketball Championship Finals (best-of-five) at 2:25 p.m. on the 26th at Yongin Indoor Gymnasium.

There is no retreat left. Samsung Life lost both Games 1 and 2 played on the road in Cheongju, falling behind 0-2 in the series. Losing just one more game means handing the championship trophy to KB Stars in a desperate situation. In the history of the Women's Professional Basketball Championship Finals, teams that won both Games 1 and 2 have a 100% (17 out of 17) chance of winning the title.

Coach Ha Sang-yoon, who is challenging the 0th% miracle, met with reporters before the game and said, "I remember last year's playoffs when we lost two games first and then won two." He added, "We will not give up and will definitely win today to lay the foundation for a turnaround. We are not looking far ahead; we are only thinking about how to win this one game today."

Coach Ha Sang-yoon believes in the positive energy of his players. He stated, "Our team has the power to turn things around, often winning by a larger margin the day after a heavy defeat." He continued, "During the meeting earlier, I saw that the players' faces looked good. In Games 1 and 2, their cohesion seemed a bit lacking, possibly due to fatigue, but today I instructed them to create a 'hey-hey' atmosphere of renewed energy."

The key to the decisive battle is ace Lee Hae-ran. Lee Hae-ran showed performance below expectations in the first two games, appearing somewhat burdened. Coach Ha Sang-yoon said, "It seems Hae-ran felt a lot of pressure because it was her first Championship Finals. She needs to get excited once she enters the court to show her true ability, but in Games 1 and 2, her routine didn't go well." He emphasized, "I told Hae-ran, 'Don't run away. If you're going to decide the game, you have to deliver.' For Samsung Life to become a solid team, Hae-ran must overcome such a big stage."

He also announced tactical changes to break through KB's strong press defense. Coach Ha Sang-yoon analyzed, "The opponent's front line is extremely fast and the pressure is intense, making it difficult to maintain possession of the ball. Today, we practiced having Bae Hye-yoon catch the ball in the upper middle area and utilize mismatches through screens. If we can smoothly execute plays to pass the ball to the opposite side, there is a sufficient chance of winning."

Finally, Coach Ha Sang-yoon added, "The players are running very hard. If there are any shortcomings, that is my responsibility." He concluded, "We will believe in the players until the end and push forward so they can achieve a turnaround in today's game."

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*This content was translated by AI.