"All or nothing" championship series on the brink of a two-peat collapse... Goyang Sono head coach Son Chang-hwan declares "We will fight for victory today" [Busan on-site]

*This content was translated by AI.

Facing a desperate situation after consecutive defeats at home, Goyang Sono head coach Son Chang-hwan prepares a last-ditch effort in the Busan away game.

Sono and Busan KCC will face off in Game 3 of the 2025-2026 LG Electronics Professional Basketball Championship Series (best-of-seven) at Busan Sajik Indoor Gymnasium at 2 p.m. on the 9th.

Victory is crucial. Having lost both Games 1 and 2 held at home, Sono is now on the verge of handing the championship trophy to KCC.

Before the game, head coach Son Chang-hwan told reporters, "This is all or nothing. Even if it takes a heavy physical toll, we will play aggressively." He added, "Stopping the opponent effectively is also a team capability. Sono doesn't have a reputation for being like the 'bad boys' of the KBL, but today might be different."

In Game 2, Kim Jin-yu was substituted after committing three fouls in the first half of the first quarter. Head coach Son Chang-hwan noted, "The agreed-upon plan was not followed well. We identified the issues through video analysis."

Regarding the unconventional strategies prepared to stop KCC, which is aiming for a sweep victory, he said, "The schedule is fragmented, making it difficult to conduct training," but also vowed to bounce back, stating, "It will be different from previous games."

They were unstoppable until the semifinals. Under head coach Son Chang-hwan, Sono swept Seoul SK in the quarterfinals and Changwon LG, the regular season's top-ranked team, in the playoffs (PO) in the semifinals.

However, Sono has lost two consecutive games in the championship series against the powerful KCC, losing momentum.

Asked about the possibility of the team's morale dipping, he replied, "One could speculate that it might happen," but added, "However, when we talk, the players say, 'We don't feel like we'll lose. We are confident.' The players also said they want to fight for victory today. We have also conducted training with a different concept than before."

Changes were also made to the starting lineup. Head coach Son Chang-hwan announced, "Kang Ji-hoon will start today." He further explained, "Captain Jung Hee-jae, as a veteran, is a player who effectively maintains the offensive flow, but his stamina is not ideal. We will rotate him frequently."

Additionally, head coach Son Chang-hwan said, "I haven't given foreign player Nathan Knight any special instructions. He is doing too well, such as effectively guarding the opponent's key player, Sean Long." He continued, "Other players are also performing far better than their capabilities suggest. I am very proud of the players."

Head coach Son Chang-hwan then added, "We will face KCC again next year. The players must continue to grow. In that sense, we told them to try to beat KCC."

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*This content was translated by AI.