'Explosion of Super Team Potential' KCC Coach Lee Sang-min: "We were hoping someone would step up..." [Goyang Field Report]

*This content was translated by AI.

Busan KCC, challenging the historic feat of a first-ever sixth-place team winning the championship finals, secured a pleasant first victory. Coach Lee Sang-min cited the players' concentration and Heo Woong's decisive shooting as key factors in the win.

On the 5th, KCC defeated Goyang Sono 75-67 in the first game of the 2025-2026 LG Electronics Professional Basketball Championship finals away match held at Goyang Sono Arena. This gave KCC a 71.4% championship probability.

In a post-game press conference, Coach Lee Sang-min commented, "We allowed many outside shots, but we prepared well defensively. However, it was regrettable that we lost many offensive rebounds, leading to points against us."

The turning point of the game was the third quarter. The tight flow until halftime shifted sharply in KCC's favor as Heo Woong's outside shots kept landing. Coach Lee Sang-min expressed satisfaction, saying, "We were hoping someone would step up, and Heo Woong's third-quarter outside shooting was decisive. Thanks to that, we were able to win."

Regarding Heo Woong, Coach Lee Sang-min said, "In the past, he was closely guarded by dedicated defenders, so I think Woong felt impatient. I told him not to be impatient. Although he took some forced shots in the first half, he eventually made a decisive three-pointer. He is a player who can score whenever an opportunity arises," showing deep trust.

Coach Lee Sang-min evaluated today's game as the one that best showcased the capabilities of KCC, known as a "super team." He explained, "During team meetings, I instilled confidence in the players that if we work hard, we can beat any team. Today, Song Gyo-chang and others forced Kevin Kambeo into forced shots, and the defense played well. Additionally, Sean Long secured nine offensive rebounds, allowing us to win the battle for possession."

Strategic operations also stood out. In particular, the effective use of mismatches centered on Heo Hoon proved crucial. Coach Lee Sang-min stated, "Heo Hoon created mismatches that led to many attacks by Choi Jun-yong, and he successfully induced team fouls early in the game. Since KCC has a height advantage, we plan to continue exploiting that weakness."

Regarding concerns about the physical condition of the best five players, the coach praised the players' willpower. Coach Lee Sang-min said, "Actually, the players were quite exhausted, and the game tempo slowed down. I told them to signal if they wanted to rest, but except for one or two players, no one signaled. This shows the players' strong sense of responsibility." He added, "With back-to-back games scheduled for the 3rd and 4th games in Busan this weekend, we will prepare well."

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*This content was translated by AI.