“Championship Contender” Sonam Suffers Shocking Four-Game Losing Streak; Head Coach Blames Self: “In the 2nd and 3rd Quarters, Only Two Players on the Court Spoke Korean… I Overlooked Communication”

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Goyang Sonam Skygunners, who were tipped as a “championship contender” before the season and generated high expectations, have fallen into the quagmire of a shocking four-game losing streak. Son Chang-hwan, head coach of Goyang Sonam, candidly revealed that the lack of “language communication” on the court was the cause of the team’s disjointed performance, blaming himself for the situation.

Goyang Sonam will attempt to break their losing streak against Ulsan Hyundai Mobis in a home game of the 2026-2027 KCC Pro Basketball League regular season to be held on the 16th at Goyang Sonam Arena. Sonam’s last victory was in a home game against Daegu Korea Gas Corporation on the 3rd (82-73 win). Since then, they have lost four consecutive games, causing the team’s atmosphere to plummet rapidly.

Meeting with reporters ahead of the game, Head Coach Son Chang-hwan pointed out the team’s struggles with a heavy expression. “The gears inside the court are not meshing well,” Son said. “There is a recurring pattern where the flow gets interrupted in between.” He added, “We have repeatedly held video meetings to fix things, but the impact of one or two key players changing and the felt difference are much larger than I had imagined.”

He identified communication issues on the court as the most painful cause. “When foreign players and Asian quota players play together in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, there are only two domestic players on the court who can speak Korean,” Son said. “The rest are all players who use English.” He blamed himself, saying, “I think I took this communication issue too lightly and overlooked it.”

He continued, “Because these are such talented players, I naively assumed that once they gelled, things would work out quickly. There was a gap in my thinking. The confusion that would have been resolved immediately through communication if four domestic players had been on the court is now leading to bizarre plays and turnovers on the court. Ultimately, it is a situation where more time is needed in the process of adjusting.”

Head Coach Son Chang-hwan emphasized that he would find the key to breaking the losing streak in “defense.” “To break the frustrating flow that lacks organization, we must find the answer in defense rather than offense,” he said. “The defensive organization we painstakingly built last season has now completely collapsed. Reviving the defensive energy and focus shown at that time is our top priority,” he stressed.

Hyundai Mobis, their opponent today, is a team with a high two-point shooting percentage, led by Gagee Prime, who excels in rim protection. “It is difficult to guard Prime one-on-one directly,” Son said. “We have prepared a defensive plan that utilizes modified trap defense and thoroughly blocks plays derived from the baseline rather than above the rim.”

He also demanded fundamentals from the entire player roster, including ace Lee Jung-hyun. “Rather than relying on head-to-head records or the performance of specific players, all players must execute basic defense and dirty work on the court,” Son said. “You don’t know until you open the lid. We will definitely create a turning point in front of our home fans,” he declared, setting himself up with his back to the wall.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original