[On-Site Interview] "We wanted to make substitutions, but there were no players available" — Even with Samsung Life as runner-up... Coach Lee Mi-seon started by applauding the team

*This content was translated by AI.

Yongin Samsung Life narrowly missed out on the championship. However, Samsung Life coach Lee Mi-seon applauded the team for giving their all until the end.

On the 6th, Samsung Life lost to Japan's Aranmare with a score of 54-79 in the 2026 ticketLINK WKBL Futures League Finals held at Bucheon Indoor Gymnasium.

As a result, Samsung Life, which had challenged for its first title since the 2022–2023 season after a four-year gap, failed to clear the final hurdle. Samsung Life is the team that has won the most titles in the Futures League over the past decade, with four championships (2018–2019, 2019–2020, 2021–2022, and 2022–2023 seasons).

The Japanese W-League team claimed back-to-back Futures League titles, having won last year in Tokyo Haneda and this year with Aranmare.

The two teams had previously faced each other once during the group stage. At that time, Samsung Life narrowly lost 64-69 after a fierce battle.

However, the situation for Samsung Life ahead of the finals was different from the group stage. The day before, Samsung Life played against Cheongju KB Stars in the semifinals late in the afternoon, leaving insufficient time to recover.

Before the match, Coach Lee Mi-seon admitted, "I felt like we had just woken up," and acknowledged that they were in a physically difficult situation. She then emphasized, "The players need to give one more step."

However, Samsung Life could not overcome its physical disadvantage. Lee Da-yeon scored 14 points and Jo Su-a added 9 points, but it was not enough to prevent the team's defeat.

After the game, Coach Lee Mi-seon said, "The players' legs just wouldn't move. We couldn't ask for more." She added, "It was tough due to the schedule, and with Im Gyu-ri out of the lineup, the players were overburdened. For now, I am satisfied that they finished the tournament without any injuries."

She continued, "During the game, we missed easy shots and made mistakes, but the players tried their best even in those moments. As their stamina dropped, they even missed shots they would normally make. Still, I want to applaud the players who did not give up until the end."

She also expressed her true feelings: "We wanted to make substitutions, but there were no players available to substitute. The players looked pitiful."

Looking at the entire tournament, Choi Ye-seol stood out with her performance. In this finals match, she recorded 6 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists.

Coach Lee Mi-seon said, "Choi Ye-seol has great instinct and the ability to score. However, her body is still weak." She added, "If she can build up her physical strength, there is only upward progress ahead for her."

She further praised, "Choi Ye-seol plays basketball because she enjoys it. If she builds her body well, she will grow even more."

Regarding physical improvement, Coach Lee Mi-seon shared her own experience. She said, "In the early days of my playing career, I lacked strength, so I took protein supplements and did a lot of weight training. I have been emphasizing this to Ye-seol as well." She added, "She needs to eat well, rest well, increase her muscle mass, and build strength."

She then confidently stated, "If she can just gain strength, she will definitely be able to make it into the top five."

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*This content was translated by AI.