’15 Points + 5 Players’ DB Defeats Samsung to Become Magic Number 3
Wonju DB Promy reduced the magic number of regular season wins to three. Changwon LG also added a win to properly ignite the fight for second place.
DB defeated Seoul Samsung 99-85 in a regular-season game of the 2023-2024 Jungkwanjang Professional Basketball League on Sunday at Jamsil Gymnasium.
DB’s five-game winning streak improved their record to 36-10 on the season and kept them in sole possession of first place, while second-place KT fell to KCC at the same time, leaving them just three games away from clinching the title. Samsung, on the other hand, dropped its seventh straight game against DB and remained in last place with 10 points and 36 losses.
The game was one-sided in favor of DB. DB started to dominate from the midway point of the first quarter, using Dedrick Lawson and Kim Jong-kyu to gain the upper hand in the power play. Samsung was led by Kofi Coburn, but he lacked support from his teammates.
DB took the lead early in the third quarter after closing the half at 51-38. After a Lawson three-pointer to start things off, the perimeter guns caught fire and the lead grew to 24 points.
The final quarter was no different. DB faltered in the middle of the fourth quarter, but Kim Jong-kyu and Lee Sun Albano scored to erase Samsung’s lead. In the end, DB never gave up the lead for even a second and controlled the game.
DB received even performances from its main players. Kang Sang-jae paced the team with 16 points and nine assists, while Kim Jong-kyu added 19 points and five rebounds. Lawson and Albano added 15 points, eight rebounds, and 17 points and six assists, respectively. Park In-woong also chipped in 15 points, including three 3-pointers.
For Samsung, Coburn was the lone double-double with 31 points and 15 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the team from losing. He was joined in double figures by Shin Dong-hyuk and Hong Kyung-kyung (10+).
At Changwon Gymnasium, Changwon LG defeated Daegu Kogas 82-59. LG has won four straight games to heat up the race for second place. The gap between third-place LG (29-17) and second-place KT (29-16) is now just 0.5 games.
Asem Marey was the star of the show with 10 points and 15 rebounds in 21 and a half minutes. Yang Hong-seok also chipped in with 12 points, seven rebounds, and six assists.
KT lost 94-96 to KCC at the KT Sonic Boom Arena in Suwon, putting their second place position in jeopardy. They now trail fourth-place SK (28-18) by 1.5 games.
It was a nail-biter. KT was down by 12 points, 76-88, midway through the fourth quarter, but fought back furiously, led by Heo Hoon. Paris Bass’ three-pointer with four seconds left in regulation tied the game. However, they were unable to overcome the final four seconds and fell to their knees, allowing Heo to hit a three-point buzzer-beater.