"It's scary how a super team performs properly"... 'First loss of spring basketball' Son Chang-hwan coach, promises counterattack: "I'll find a way" [Goyang on-site]

*This content was translated by AI.

Goyang Sono, which had swept all six playoff games to advance unimpeded to the championship finals, saw its momentum halted before the firepower of Busan KCC. Coach Son Chang-hwan of Sono acknowledged the defeat but vowed to regroup for a counterattack.

Sono lost to KCC 67-75 in the first home game of the 2025-2026 LG Electronics Professional Basketball Championship Finals held at Goyang Sono Arena on the 5th. This was Sono's first loss of the spring basketball season, having advanced through the quarterfinals and semifinals without a single defeat.

In the post-game press conference, Coach Son Chang-hwan commented, "I regret that the players seemed tense, resulting in eight turnovers. Overall, we were dragged along by the opponent throughout the game."

Goyang Sono struggled on the day, plagued by poor shooting. In particular, Kevin Kambeau managed only one made shot out of five attempts in the first half, failing to break through the offense. Coach Son Chang-hwan said, "The opponent's height is so great that our desired plays did not work well in switch defense situations. It's not easy to win a game with a 35% shooting percentage (25/72). Still, I think the players did their best within their capabilities," and he comforted the players.

At the same time, he expressed admiration for KCC's overwhelming strength. Coach Son Chang-hwan began by saying, "It's scary how a super team performs properly," and added, "I felt how scary talent can be. I realized they have superior abilities compared to us, and I think we need to find another way."

The most painful aspect was the inability to control KCC's Sean Long, who dominated the paint with 22 points and 19 rebounds. Coach Son Chang-hwan analyzed, "The rebound numbers themselves weren't necessarily behind, but many were dead rebounds rather than those leading to fast breaks. We prepared to foul even if it meant giving free throws to stop Sean Long, but for some reason, the players failed to execute the stops properly."

However, Coach Son Chang-hwan made it clear that he would not be consumed by the first-game defeat. He stated, "Rather than regrouping, it was a game where we clearly felt our shortcomings," but added, "Ultimately, the score difference wasn't large. If we correct only the shots that didn't go in today, we should be able to have a competitive game," previewing a counterattack.

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*This content was translated by AI.