"We knew, yet we couldn't stop them": Coach Kang Hyuk reflects on loss to KT's twin towers [Suwon On-Site]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Coach Kang Hyek of the Daegu Korean Gas Corporation, who suffered a painful comeback loss after failing to maintain the early-game lead, analyzed the disappointing cause of defeat.

The Korean Gas Corporation lost to Suwon KT 81-92 in an away game during the second round of the 2026-2027 KCC Pro Basketball season held at Suwon KT Sonicboom Arena on the 7th, recording a season record of 6 wins and 7 losses.

Although they took an early lead of 10-2 in the first quarter thanks to consecutive scores by Kim Min-gyu and Jung Seong-u, they were unable to contain KT's explosive firepower from the second quarter onward and ultimately fell.

In a post-game press conference, Coach Kang Hyek began by saying, "The early flow was really good, and the game was progressing at our pace. However, there was an issue with decision-making on offense at that point."

Coach Kang continued, "I was disappointed in our judgment regarding whether it was time to shoot or pass. We attempted forced perimeter shots, which allowed the opponent fast breaks, causing us to miss opportunities to widen the score gap. It is most painful that we failed to extend the lead further at that moment." He added self-criticism: "In the meeting, I pointed out to the players that their choices in those moments were not good. This is an area that must definitely be improved."

Regarding the large number of points conceded against the 2nd-on-2 attacks by opposing twin towers Paris Bass and Trey Porter, Coach Kang stated, "We conducted defensive practice with Ra Geon-a and discussed strategies, but mistakes occurred. During practice, we prepared extensively for plays where Bass would lob a pass for Porter to finish, yet scenes where we easily handed the momentum over to Porter kept occurring consecutively." He took responsibility: "We should have switched matchups faster. Failing to quickly break the opponent's flow is my fault as the coach."

The rebounding disadvantage that emerged every time a spark of pursuit was ignited was also cited as a cause of defeat. Coach Kang said, "Although the players chased until the end, we missed box-outs at the most critical moments, losing rebounds and leading to second-chance points for the opponent, which made the game difficult." He added, "We emphasized in the meeting with the players that allowing many points makes it hard to control the game. To achieve good results going forward, we must focus more on the aforementioned decision-making and rebounding battles."

Regarding the physical condition of Sam Joseph BelanGel, who injured his ankle early in the fourth quarter but returned to the court, Coach Kang explained, "The player himself said he could play, so we put him back on the court, but it was clear that his physical condition did not look fully intact." He continued, "The opponent is guarding BelanGel very intensely, and he is struggling to overcome this. We will likely know the exact extent of the injury only after tomorrow when the examination results come out. I hope there are no major issues and will monitor his condition."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original