Defeated even top contender BNK with just 7 players... Incheon Shinhan Bank's stunning turnaround from last place to sole leader

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Incheon Shinhan Bank, which finished in last place last season, is staging a remarkable comeback this season. They even defeated Busan BNK, who was considered a strong title contender.

Shinhan Bank, led by Head Coach Choi Yoon-a, won 68-59 against BNK in an away game at the Busan Sajik Indoor Gymnasium on the 7th in the 2026~2027 KB Star Banking Women's Professional Basketball regular season.

With this victory, Shinhan Bank recorded a two-game winning streak to open the season and secured the sole lead. Following their 65-58 win over Asan Woori Bank in the home opener on the 4th, they have created an early-season surge by also defeating BNK.

It is a series of turnarounds. Shinhan Bank remained at the bottom of the league standings last season. They endured a difficult period, failing to advance to the playoffs for the third consecutive season.

Expectations for Shinhan Bank were not high even ahead of this season. Woori Bank and BNK, among others, were cited as title contenders. In particular, at the opening media day held last month, no fewer than five out of the six team head coaches identified BNK as the team with the deepest roster.

However, in the actual matchup, Shinhan Bank emerged victorious. Moreover, it was a win achieved without fielding their full-strength lineup.

Shinhan Bank is missing Kaneda Mana, whom they acquired with the first overall pick in this year's rookie draft, due to hip muscle pain. Kaneda is an immediate impact player who played in Japan's W League and was signed by Head Coach Choi Yoon-a with high expectations.

Despite this, Shinhan Bank secured a victory against BNK while fielding only seven players.

At the center of the victory was "next-generation ace" Hong Yu-sun. On this day, Hong recorded 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists to post a double-double. She scored the most points among both teams and also demonstrated her presence in the paint.

Kim Ji-young also contributed with 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists. Park Jin-young added support with 12 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists.

In particular, Shinhan Bank dominated the opponent in rebounding. Although they had more turnovers (14) than BNK (9), they led in rebounds 36-29. This was the driving force behind their ability to overpower the opponent despite making only five three-pointers.

In the early stages of the game, BNK led the momentum. Shinhan Bank struggled at one point in the first quarter, trailing 7-16. However, they gradually narrowed the gap and finished the first quarter down 12-16.

The tide turned in the second quarter. Shinhan Bank took control of the atmosphere with aggressive defense and fast offense. Hong Yu-sun and Park Jin-young scored consecutively, and Kim Ji-young also added to the attack. Ultimately, Shinhan Bank succeeded in taking the lead, ending the first half ahead by 10 points, 36-26.

Shinhan Bank's momentum continued into the second half. In the third quarter, Hong Yu-sun asserted her presence in the paint and led the offense. Although BNK attempted a comeback, Shinhan Bank secured defensive rebounds and quickly transitioned to offense, disrupting the opponent's flow. Additionally, Shin I-seul hit shots from both inside and outside the arc.

In the fourth quarter, Shinhan Bank also seized the initiative early with three-pointers from Hong Yu-sun and Kim Ji-young. They extended their lead to a massive 18 points at 61-43, and maintained their advantage until the end to complete a nine-point victory.

Of course, BNK also faced setbacks. Key guard Park Hye-jin was absent due to hip muscle pain, and Kim Sonia also left the court after suffering a nose injury during the first quarter. Unable to field their full-strength lineup, BNK saw Byeon So-jeong score 12 points, while Lee So-hee and Vanessa de Jesus each scored 11 points, but they could not prevent defeat.

Nevertheless, the victory was significant for Shinhan Bank as well, given that they secured a win despite the absence of Kaneda and limited available personnel.

Shinhan Bank, which finished in last place last season, became the first team to achieve a two-game winning streak to open this season, climbing to the sole lead. Although it is still early in the season, the performance shown by Shinhan Bank has clearly changed. They announced a fresh start to the season by consecutively defeating title contenders.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original