[Cheongju On-Site Review] 'Kang I-seul and Kim Dan-bi': Woori Bank's One-Two Punch Was Stronger! Defeats Cheongju KB, Featuring Park Ji-soo and Heo Ye-eun, to Advance to the Final... First Park Shin-ja Cup Championship in Sight

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Asan Woori Bank is just one win away from its first-ever Park Shin-ja Cup championship.

Woori Bank, led by Coach Jeonju-won, defeated Cheongju KB 65-63 in the semifinal of the 2026 KB Kookmin Bank Park Shin-ja Cup held at the Cheongju Indoor Gymnasium on the 10th.

With this victory, Woori Bank has advanced to the final after reaching the semifinals for the first time since 2023, a span of three years. The team now aims for its first tournament title. Woori Bank finished as runner-up in the 2023 edition of the tournament.

Woori Bank's opponent in the final is Japan's Fujitsu. Fujitsu is a powerhouse that has claimed the Park Shin-ja Cup title two years in a row, and this year it challenges for its third consecutive championship, which would be the first three-peat by an overseas team. Among domestic teams, Bucheon Hana Bank achieved a three-peat from 2018 to 2020.

Earlier, Fujitsu secured a spot in the final by defeating Incheon Shinhan Bank 88-60 in the semifinal.

In today's match for Woori Bank, Kang I-seul, who joined the team this summer after leaving KB, performed well with 18 points and 8 rebounds.

The 'original ace' Kim Dan-bi also contributed with 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists. Lee Myeong-gwan likewise ran the court tirelessly, recording 12 points and 6 rebounds.

On the other hand, KB, led by Coach Kim Wan-su, aimed for its third overall championship but could not overcome Woori Bank's defense.

KB reached the top of the tournament in 2016 and 2021. Although it advanced to the semifinals again this year after last year, it stopped at the semifinal stage for the second consecutive year.

For KB, the 'national treasure center' Park Ji-soo recorded 6 points and 6 rebounds, while Heo Ye-eun contributed 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists. However, Woori Bank's 'one-two punch' of Kang I-seul and Kim Dan-bi secured the victory.

A tightly contested game unfolded in the early stages. The two teams engaged in fierce back-and-forth action throughout the first quarter, with KB finishing the opening period with a narrow 16-14 lead.

However, Woori Bank shifted the momentum starting from the second quarter. Kim Dan-bi hit a three-pointer right off the bat to lead the comeback to 17-16. KB responded with an outside shot by Na Yoon-jeong.

Woori Bank did not back down. Kim Dan-bi sank another three-pointer to give the team a 22-19 lead. This was followed by organic passing plays and a successful three-pointer by Shim Seong-young. The score gap widened to 25-19.

Scoring by Kang I-seul, the 'league's representative three-point shooter,' was also notable. Instead of relying on her signature outside shots, Kang I-seul aggressively attacked the paint zone. After scoring with free throws, she successfully converted consecutive shots at the rim. Thanks to this, Woori Bank ended the first half leading 36-28.

Woori Bank's momentum continued into the third quarter. Katakayama Nana made a two-point shot, bringing the score to 40-30. The gap between the two teams also widened to double digits.

KB did not give up easily either. Heo Ye-eun and Lee Chae-eun activated their scoring from both inside and outside to launch a chase. Additionally, Park Ji-soo displayed hustle plays that spared no effort, helping to lift the team's atmosphere.

Woori Bank had Kang I-seul. She hit a three-pointer that poured cold water on KB's pursuit, regaining the flow of the game once again. Katakayama Nana also pulled out an outside shot in the final offensive possession of the third quarter.

Starting the fourth quarter with a 54-45 lead, Woori Bank appeared to maintain good momentum with consecutive scores from Lee Myeong-gwan and Kang I-seul.

However, KB's final push was fierce.

KB regained the flow with a three-pointer by Heo Ye-eun and closed the gap to 50-63 with a score by Yoon Ye-bin. Then, three-pointers from Heo Ye-eun and Lee Yun-min hit back-to-back. With Song Yun-ha adding a basket at the rim, the score became 58-63. With about one minute remaining, KB's Sakai Sara hit a three-pointer to make it 61-65.

But KB's persistent chase ended there. Sara's shot at the rim did not go in. Woori Bank, which succeeded on defense, held onto its lead until the end and narrowly secured a spot in the final.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original