'Song Gyo-chang and Choi Jun-yong are gone, but Heo Woong and Heo Hoon remain' KCC, once mired in a seven-game losing streak, now on a three-game winning run... The 'Heo brothers' lead the team's resurgence

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Although Song Gyo-chang and Choi Jun-yong, key contributors to last season's championship, have left the team, Busan KCC still has the 'Heo brothers,' Heo Woong and Heo Hoon. After struggling through a seven-game losing streak early in the season, KCC has now surged to three consecutive wins, signaling its revival.

KCC, led by head coach Lee Sang-min, defeated Changwon LG 84-74 in an away game at Changwon Gymnasium on the 8th in the 2026~2027 KCC Pro Basketball League.

With this victory, KCC recorded its third straight win, moving to a record of five wins and eight losses to sit eighth in the league standings. While still below a .500 winning percentage, it is a welcome turnaround considering the severe slump the team experienced at the start of the season.

In particular, KCC also erased the regret of its heavy defeat against LG in this season's opening game. As last season's championship finalists, KCC suffered a humiliating 35-point loss to LG in the official opener held at home on the 3rd of last month.

However, the rematch held just over a month later told a different story. This time, KCC defeated LG and celebrated.

The Heo brothers were at the heart of the victory. On this day, 'older brother' Heo Woong led the offense by scoring 27 points, the highest total among all players from both teams. It was his personal season-high in scoring. He also recorded four rebounds and two assists.

'Younger brother' Heo Hoon also performed brilliantly. He posted a double-double with 12 points, five rebounds, and an impressive 13 assists. Through precise passing and game management, he created scoring opportunities for his teammates.

Together, the two brothers combined for 39 points and 15 assists. While Heo Woong took on the role of go-to scorer in terms of points, Heo Hoon coordinated the team's offense to contribute to the victory.

The foreign players also delivered their share. Lewis King recorded a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Sean Long guarded the paint with 15 points and nine rebounds.

It was a victory built on the balanced performance of KCC's core players. In fact, concerns about KCC this season were significant. Although they won last season's championship, there were considerable changes to the roster during the offseason. Song Gyo-chang and Choi Jun-yong, who had been central to the title run, both left the team.

Song Gyo-chang transferred to Osaka Evessa in Japan's B.League, while Choi Jun-yong announced his intention to challenge himself on the American stage. Both players are 200cm tall forwards who had played crucial roles in KCC's offense and defense. Losing both players at once made it difficult to avoid a drop in team strength.

As a result, the burden on Heo Woong and Heo Hoon grew heavier. They had to fill the void in team strength while also serving as go-to scorers in the offense.

However, KCC fell short of expectations early in the season. The team wavered significantly from the opening game and subsequently plummeted to the lower ranks with a seven-game losing streak. Adverse factors piled up, including foreign player Lewis King struggling due to injury effects.

Yet, the atmosphere has changed recently. With Heo Woong and Heo Hoon holding the center of the team and the foreign players adding their strength, KCC began to come back to life.

This change was evident in the game against LG as well. KCC finished the first half trailing 39-41 but turned the tide in the third quarter.

As Heo Woong fired up his scoring, his teammates joined the offensive effort. KCC poured in 28 points in the third quarter alone while holding LG to just 20 points. Thanks to this, they entered the final fourth quarter leading 67-61.

KCC's momentum continued into the fourth quarter. Heo Hoon led the attack at crucial moments. With 7 minutes and 14 seconds remaining in the game, he successfully hit a jumper, and subsequently assisted Kim Hoon and Jang Jae-seok for scores. KCC maintained its focus until the end. They shook off LG's pursuit to complete a 10-point victory.

On the other hand, despite Assem Mbaye putting up 14 points, nine rebounds, and six assists, and Archie Goodwin recording 13 points and five rebounds in a valiant effort, LG could not prevent defeat.

Of course, the road ahead is still long. KCC remains in the lower ranks with a record of five wins and eight losses. However, it is certainly positive that they have created an opportunity for a turnaround through their recent three-game winning streak.

Although concerns about weakened team strength were high following the departures of Song Gyo-chang and Choi Jun-yong, KCC still has the reliable brothers Heo Woong and Heo Hoon. With the added contributions of King and Long, the team is regaining its competitiveness.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original