On the threshold of the professional basketball (KBL) championship match, the ‘Kim Seung-gi Series’ was concluded.
Goyang Carrot (Day One Sports), led by coach Kim Seung-gi, defeated Ulsan Hyundai Mobis with a playoff record of 3-2 in the 6th round after a bloody battle in the 5th game on the 10th and advanced to the semifinals. Despite the financial crisis caused by the parent company that shook the club throughout this season, coach Kim and players revolted the lower seed team and extended the deadline for ‘Carrot’s Last Spring Basketball’. Finally, the next opponent is Anyang Keishi (KGC) Ginseng Corporation, the team that coach Kim left last year.스포츠토토
Coach Kim worked for 7 years as the commanding tower of Ginseng Corporation until last season and made playoffs in all but one season. He spent glorious years at Ginseng Corporation by winning two championship rings, but said goodbye after finishing runner-up last year. ‘Kim Seung-gi’s Basketball’ was transplanted to Carrot, a new team, and Ginseng Corporation, which sent Kim Seung-gi away, won the third ‘Wire-to-Wire’ regular league championship in the history of professional basketball, with Kim Sang-sik coaching the team.\
Now director Kim Seung-gi deals with his legacy. The matchup that symbolizes this structure is a guard match between Carrot Lee Jung-hyun and Ginseng Corporation Byun Jun-hyung. The two, who had been called star guards to represent Korea since their college days, both went through the hands of coach Kim Seung-gi. Byun Jun-hyung was nominated for MVP by filling the vacancy left by Lee Jae-do two years ago, and Lee Jung-hyun also took his place as an ace leading Carrot’s winning team this season, his second year since his debut.
The record is one head at a time. Looking at the average points scored in the regular season and the playoffs, Lee Jung-hyun scored 15 points and 24 points, respectively, and seems to be one step above in terms of explosive power. However, in 6 head-to-head matches with Ginseng Corporation, it was the weakest among the 10 teams with an average of 11.2 points. On the other hand, Byun Jun-hyung, who is said to have ‘opened his eyes’ in coordination and game management this season, scored an average of 16 points in five games against Carrot, second best out of ten teams.
Another variable is Carrot’s shooter Jeon Seong-hyeon. He was a 1-option scorer for Carrot, who shoots the most 3 points in the league, but is in poor condition after returning from injury. Son Dae-beom, a commentator for <KBSN Sports>, said, “I think (Jeon Seong-hyun) is in about 60-70% condition. However, even if Jeon Seong-Hyun can score 20 minutes on the court, it is more beneficial than other players for 30 minutes. It is because he reduces the burden by dragging the opponent’s defense.”
In terms of schedule, Carrot is at a disadvantage. The game will be played again after three days in a state where the team is exhausted from the 5th game. However, Ginseng Corporation is not the only place to rest. Commentator Son Dae-beom said, “Every time Ginseng Corporation took a break for more than three days in the regular league, its performance dropped regardless of whether it was home or away. The odds of winning are less than 5%. The key is how coach Kim Sang-sik, who is good at rotation, will overcome certain variables in the short-term playoffs.”
The first leg of the semifinals between the two teams will be held at Anyang Gymnasium on the 13th.