Kang I-seul is out, but Lee Myeong-gwan delivered: The performance Jeonju Woori Bank head coach had been hoping for... 14-point showing against KB, combining with Kim Dan-bi for a second consecutive win

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The form that Jeonju Woori Bank head coach had been waiting for finally emerged. Lee Myeong-gwan (30), who struggled with injuries last season, is gradually regaining his form.

Woori Bank won 57-51 in an away game against Cheongju KB Stars at the Cheongju Gymnasium on the 9th in the 2026~2027 Women's Professional Basketball regular season.

With this victory, Woori Bank has run up a two-game winning streak following their opening loss, bringing their record to two wins and one loss for the season. The win carried significant weight as it came against last season's champions, KB Stars.

Woori Bank played without key player Kang I-seul on this day. Kang I-seul, who transferred from KB Stars to Woori Bank as a free agent ahead of this season, suffered a hamstring injury in the opening game against Incheon Shinhan Bank on the 4th. She was unable to play in the subsequent game against Yongin Samsung Life on the 7th and also missed this match.

However, Woori Bank had Kim Dan-bi and Lee Myeong-gwan. First, "ace" Kim Dan-bi recorded a double-double with 15 points and 14 rebounds, anchoring the team.

Lee Myeong-gwan also contributed with 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists. He made two of his four three-point attempts. The combined scoring of the two players was 29 points, accounting for more than half of the team's total points.

Woori Bank ended the first half with a narrow 31-29 lead. They then pulled ahead from the third quarter and held off the opponent's pursuit in the fourth quarter to secure the victory.

Head coach Jeonju also had high expectations for Lee Myeong-gwan. When he took office last May, Head coach Jeonju told StarNews in an interview, "Lee Myeong-gwan played well, but injuries kept him from playing much last season. I hope Lee Myeong-gwan steps up. It would be great if the other young players also help out well."

For this season, he believed that not only Kim Dan-bi and Kang I-seul, but also other players like Lee Myeong-gwan needed to actively engage in offense.

In fact, Lee Myeong-gwan's start to the season was disappointing. In the opening game against Shinhan Bank, he played all 40 minutes but managed only 2 points and 6 rebounds. Woori Bank also lost 58-65, failing to win their first game of the season.

However, Lee Myeong-gwan bounced back quickly. In the game against Samsung Life on the 7th, he recorded 11 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals, helping Woori Bank secure a 65-54 victory. He then scored 14 points in the game against KB Stars, continuing his upward trend.

His scoring increased from just 2 points in the opening game to 11 and then 14 points. In particular, he recorded double-digit scoring in two consecutive games, demonstrating his presence on offense.

With Kang I-seul sidelined, Lee Myeong-gwan's performance is all the more welcome. By contributing on offense, Lee Myeong-gwan is also alleviating some of the burden that could otherwise fall solely on Kim Dan-bi.

Lee Myeong-gwan's performance in the last two games has been positive. The form that Head coach Jeonju had been waiting for since before the season is gradually emerging.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original