'Thrilling comeback within reach → Reversal defeat just one second before' Coach Son Chang-hwan: "Disappointing... The players gave more than 100%" [Busan]

*This content was translated by AI.

They failed to hold onto the big fish they had almost secured, unable to withstand the final second. Coach Son Chang-hwan of Goyang Sono, who had dug in at the brink of defeat, expressed his deeply regretful reflections.

On the 9th at 2 p.m., in the away game against Busan KCC at Busan Sajik Indoor Gymnasium during the third match of the 2025~2026 LG Electronics Professional Basketball Championship Finals, Sono lost narrowly 87-88.

Just two seconds before the end, Lee Jeong-hyun's dramatic game-tying layup seemed to shift momentum in their favor, but they ultimately bowed their heads after conceding a game-winning free throw from Sean Long right before the final buzzer.

In the post-game press conference, Coach Son Chang-hwan stated, "The players demonstrated more than 100% of their abilities," adding, "The opponents' individual skills were simply too good. Although we lost in the end, I want to praise the players for fighting until the very last moment."

Regarding the final scoring play, he expressed deep regret. Coach Son Chang-hwan explained, "We had already anticipated the opponent's backdoor cut play. Nathan Knight had promised to guard the paint at all costs, but for a moment, the pressure loosened, allowing a foul and free throws. That part is truly disappointing."

On ace Lee Jeong-hyun, who set the stage for the dramatic comeback in the final quarter, he said, "In that situation, only Lee Jeong-hyun could have done that. That's why the result feels even more heartbreaking."

Regarding Lee Jae-do, who showed fighting spirit despite an injury, he revealed, "He told me he had pain but no problem shooting, so I decided to use him. Today, his shooting balance appeared somewhat unstable, so we brought in Choi Seung-wook and Kim Jin-yu to strengthen our defense."

He also expressed strategic regret regarding Im Dong-seop, who played brilliantly with 18 points on three-pointers that day. Coach Son Chang-hwan said, "We should have utilized Im Dong-seop more. Sometimes the players got greedy and forgot the agreement to pass to Im Dong-seop after certain patterns. When facing an opponent's weakness, even if it seems childish, a strong team digs deep until the end. I think our failure to do so reveals the limits of our team."

Regarding the limited playing time of veteran Jung Hee-jae, he answered, "Today, we intended to utilize other players instead of Jung Hee-jae. He is a veteran with excellent defense, but we also had to consider physical management due to his age. We planned to use Jung Hee-jae more if the opponent's Choi Jun-yong struggled, but Choi Jun-yong fell into foul trouble sooner than expected, which changed our operational plan."

Regarding foreign player Kevin Kambeo, he said, "Rather than finding a solution, I simply asked him to be more aggressive today. However, KCC's pressure was extremely intense, and they are skilled at switch defense, so it seems Kambeo's abilities did not fully come out." He added regarding the critical error, "It's disappointing to make a mistake when we needed to gain momentum, but there's nothing a coach can do when open three-pointers don't go in."

He also pointed out the struggle of key player Knight in the paint against Sean Long. Coach Son Chang-hwan said, "In the first quarter, Knight tried to defend too aggressively, which didn't suit the situation. It seems he was afraid of Sean Long and kept trying to avoid him, which caused problems. We will address these weaknesses and prepare for the next game."

With the series record now at three losses, Sono must play the fourth game immediately tomorrow. Coach Son Chang-hwan conveyed, "We don't have time to regroup, nor do we have time to pour our hearts out. The result is too disappointing, and it's just too difficult."

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*This content was translated by AI.