'Kanter with 27 points + Lee Gwan-hee with 19 points' Seoul Samsung Thunder is on fire! Defeats 'championship contender' DB to extend winning streak to five games since the season opener

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

The Seoul Samsung Thunder continued their winning streak with a fifth consecutive victory since the start of the season.

On the 17th, at the Wonju DB Promy Arena, the Seoul Samsung Thunder defeated the Wonju DB Promy 95-92 in an away game during Round 1 of the 2026-2027 KCC Pro Basketball League. With this win, Samsung extended their unbeaten streak to five games since the season opener. Meanwhile, DB fell into a two-game losing streak.

The star of the victory was Kerem Kanter, who solidly guarded the paint. Kanter led the team's offense with a near-triple-double performance, recording 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists. The veteran guard corps also shone with their perimeter support. Lee Gwan-hee recorded 19 points and 7 rebounds, including four three-pointers, while Han Ho-bin led the front line with 15 points and 8 assists, sinking four three-pointers (80%). Chris McCollum (14 points, 8 rebounds) and Lee Gyu-tae (11 points) also contributed double-digit scoring.

A fierce battle continued throughout the first half. Samsung, which led by a narrow margin of 23-20 after the first quarter, traded leads in the second quarter before finishing the first half with a one-point lead of 46-45.

The balance of the game was decided in the third quarter. Samsung exploded offensively, scoring 37 points in the third quarter alone. Thanks to balanced performances from Kerem Kanter, Lee Gwan-hee, Chris McCollum, and Justin Gutong, they extended their lead, pulling away by as much as 15 points at 83-68 to seize control of the game.

However, the home team DB showed considerable resilience. Led by Henry Ellenson (29 points, 8 rebounds), Lee Sun Albano (20 points, 8 assists), and Leation Hammonds (20 points, 12 rebounds), DB launched a fierce comeback. In the late fourth quarter, Lee Yong-woo's three-pointer and Ellenson's basket brought them within 92-95 with 10 seconds remaining, pressing Samsung to the brink.

In this critical moment of crisis, Samsung did not lose its focus. With 33 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Lee Gwan-hee's free throws helped maintain the lead. After Kanter missed both free throws resulting from a foul on him, DB's Albano's final three-point attempt missed, sealing a narrow three-point victory for Samsung.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.View Original