'They did it even without Park Ji-soo' KB's young trio combines for a whopping 43 points... Song Yun-ha, who earned the Star Award and an Asian Games bronze medal, also shines

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Women's professional basketball 'defending champion' Cheongju KB Stars secured their first win of the season despite the absence of key players. Three young players, Na Yoon-jung (28), Lee Chae-eun (26), and Song Yun-ha (20), combined for a whopping 43 points to lead the team to victory.

KB, led by head coach Kim Wan-su, won 74-69 in an away game against Bucheon Hana Bank at the Bucheon Gymnasium on the 6th in the regular season of the KB Star Banking 2026~2027 Women's Professional Basketball League.

With this win, KB recorded a 1-1 record, securing their first victory of the season after two opening games. On the other hand, Hana Bank fell into a two-game losing streak to start the season.

It was a significant victory for KB. Although they achieved a double championship by winning both the regular season and the championship series last season, major changes occurred in their roster ahead of this season.

In particular, key shooter Kang I-seul transferred to Asan Woori Bank as a free agent (FA). Additionally, 'National Team Center' Park Ji-soo, a core member of the team, missed two consecutive games since the opening due to a thigh injury.

As a result, KB suffered a crushing 53-82 defeat, a margin of no less than 29 points, in the opening game against Busan BNK on the 1st. It was a game where the absence of key players was heavily felt in both offense and defense.

However, the second game was different. The remaining players joined forces to fill the void left by Park Ji-soo and Kang I-seul. In particular, the performances of Na Yoon-jung, Song Yun-ha, and Lee Chae-eun stood out.

The three players combined for a whopping 43 points on this day. While the trio scored 22 points in the opening game, they recorded a significantly higher score this time.

First, Na Yoon-jung led the offense with a team-high 16 points and 5 rebounds, including two three-pointers. Forward Na Yoon-jung has taken on an even more critical role following Kang I-seul's transfer.

Fortunately, she is meeting expectations. After averaging 5.0 points in last season's regular season, she is showing more than double the scoring power this season, averaging 10.5 points over two games.

She has also taken on greater responsibility both on and off the court by serving as the team's vice-captain this season.

The growth of 'promising big man born in 2006' Song Yun-ha is also dazzling. Song Yun-ha played the most minutes on the team at 37 minutes and 48 seconds, recording 14 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals. She performed well both inside and outside, including hitting two three-pointers. In Park Ji-soo's absence, she took charge of the paint while also fulfilling her role in the offense.

Song Yun-ha has been noted as a talent who will take responsibility for the future of Korean women's basketball since her high school days. In particular, she was recognized early for her potential by winning the inaugural Star Award in the basketball category at the 2024 Futures Star Awards hosted by StarNews.

In September last month, she also achieved valuable results on the international stage. Song Yun-ha was selected for the women's 3x3 basketball national team for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games and contributed to Korea's first-ever bronze medal in this event.

Song Yun-ha, who returned from experiencing the Asian Games, is showing a steep growth trend in the new season as well. Song Yun-ha, who averaged 7.0 points in last season's regular season, is averaging 12.5 points over two games this season. Her playing time has also increased significantly from an average of 19 minutes and 34 seconds to 35 minutes and 45 seconds this season. She is establishing herself as a pillar of the team by taking on a larger role amid Park Ji-soo's injury absence.

Lee Chae-eun cannot be overlooked either. She recorded 13 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists on this day. In particular, she demonstrated high concentration by making three of her four three-point attempts.

Lee Chae-eun is a player whose growth has been prominent since last season. While she averaged only 2.0 points in the 2024~2025 regular season, her scoring ability improved significantly to an average of 8.4 points last season. She is maintaining good momentum this season as well, averaging 9.5 points over two games.

Most importantly, she also played the role of a closer in crucial moments. KB led 59-50 through the third quarter but faced a fierce comeback from Hana Bank entering the fourth quarter. Allowing consecutive scoring by Iijima Saki and a three-pointer by Ko So-yeon, they were chased down to within just one point at 64-63.

At that moment, Lee Chae-eun stepped up. She hit a crucial three-pointer to put out the fire, then succeeded in a two-point shot from the paint to extend the lead to 69-63. Afterwards, she secured an offensive rebound, creating a scoring opportunity that led to Heo Ye-eun's three-pointer.

Led by Lee Chae-eun's performance, KB shook off Hana Bank's pursuit and held onto the victory. 'National Team Guard' Heo Ye-eun also contributed with 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists. KB made 14 three-pointers as a team on this day and limited turnovers to 7. This was 8 fewer than Hana Bank (15).

On the other hand, Hana Bank's Iijima Saki scored 18 points and Jin An recorded 10 points and 12 rebounds in a valiant effort, but they could not prevent defeat.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original