The Busan KCC Aegis celebrated their first home game in their new stadium with a victory in front of over 8,000 fans.
KCC, led by head coach Jeon Chang-jin, will start the 2023-2024 regular season with one win after defeating the Seoul Samsung Thunder 106-100 in their home opener at Sajik Indoor Gymnasium in Busan on Feb. 22.
KCC, which left Jeonju for a new home in Busan after 22 years, won the KBL Cup, which ended on the 15th of this month, and is considered a strong contender as it is called a ‘super team’ with the strongest power. And on this day, even though Choi Jun-yong was out due to injury, they won a cool victory and realized their solid power.
In particular, a whopping 8780 people gathered at the Sajik Indoor Gymnasium on this day, adding strength to the start of the ‘Busan’ KCC. The 8780 fans is the fourth largest opening week attendance in KBL history, and the first opening week attendance of over 8,000 fans in 12 years since the opening game between Samsung and Changwon LG on October 16, 2011 at Jamsil Indoor Gymnasium drew 8286 fans.
KCC jumped out to a 34-22 lead over Samsung in the first quarter. Taking the lead with baskets from Lee Ho-hyun, Heo Ong and Alize DeShawn Johnson, KCC went on an 11-4 run on a three-pointer by Jung Chang-young after a free throw from Heo Ong. Samsung chipped away through Lee Won-seok, Aban Nava and Kofi Coburn, but the gap was not easily closed. After Lee made a three-pointer to make it 20-29, KCC responded with a three-pointer of their own.
In the second quarter, KCC continued to dominate the game and increased their lead. Lee hit a three-pointer at the start of the second quarter, followed by baskets from Heo Woong and Ragan-ah to make it 41-22. From 53-31 onward, both teams scored from outside the arc. Samsung’s Kim Si-rae and KCC’s Lee Geun-hwi, followed by Samsung’s Aban Nava and KCC’s Heo Woong, took turns hitting three-pointers. In the second quarter alone, both teams combined for nine three-pointers, and KCC went into halftime with a 20-point lead, 63-43.
In the second half, Samsung played diligently. The lead remained at 20 points through the third quarter, but in the fourth quarter, Samsung held KCC to 17 points and closed the gap. Leading 102-80, KCC called its starters to the bench just over halfway through the fourth quarter, and Samsung managed to pull within six points with a last-second three-pointer from Yoon Sung-won, but the buzzer sounded to end the game.
For KCC, Heo Woong led all scorers with 23 points, while Alize DeShawn Johnson recorded a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds in just 22:20 of action. Six players scored in double figures, led by Lee Ho-hyun with 17 points and five assists, Lee Seung-hyun with 18 points and five assists, and Lee Geun-hwi and Jung Chang-young with 12 and 11 points, respectively.
Samsung was led by Lee Jung-hyun with 19 points, four rebounds and six assists, Kofi Coburn and Avan Nava with 18 and 17 points, respectively, and Kim Si-rae with 16 points, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the team from losing. Samsung made 16 three-pointers, six more than KCC, but was outrebounded in the other metrics.짱구카지노 주소
Meanwhile, Wonju DB Promi, which took over from Day One, defeated the Goyang Sono Skyliners 110-89 in its first season of professional basketball. Coach Kim Joo-sung, who took over as acting head coach after the resignation of former head coach Lee Sang-beom last season, started the regular season on a high note with his first win as head coach.
Dedrick Lawson, who played with Sono in the Day One last season, had a great game in a DB uniform with 23 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists. Choi Seung-wook added 20 points, Park In-woong and Lee Sun Albano each had 15 points, and Kim Young-hyun and Kim Jong-gyu had 11 and 10 points, respectively.
The Seoul SK Knights, who had defeated the Anyang Chungkwanjang Red Boosters 89-74 the day before, made it two wins in a row in their home opener, defeating the Suwon KT Sonic Boom 85-80. Jamil Warney, who exploded for 46 points the night before, continued his hot streak with 26 points and 13 rebounds. Heo Il-young and Oh Jae-hyun scored 15 and 11 points, respectively, including three three-pointers, while Kim Sun-hyung added 10 points and six assists.