“Ragan, keep your center,” the coach says… The veteran’s last dance, now ongoing
“Everything goes well with Ragan in the center.”
These were the words of Busan KCC head coach Jeon Chang-jin after the team defeated Wonju DB 80-63 in the fourth round of the best-of-five (PO-5) playoffs for the 2023-2024 season at Sajik Gymnasium in Busan on March 21 to secure a spot in the championship game. With the win, KCC overwhelmed DB, the No. 1 team in the regular season, 3 games to 1, and made history as the 토토사이트 순위 fifth-ranked team in the league to secure its first championship.
As the former head coach said, KCC’s number one contributor was the 35-year-old “veteran” Ragan-ah. KCC, which assembled a super team of Heo Woong, Choi Jun-yong, Song Kyo-chang, and Lee Seung-hyun ahead of the season, saw Ragan-ah’s performance shine brightly. He averaged 33 minutes and 25 seconds per game in the four best-of-four PO finals, averaging 26.3 points and 14.8 rebounds. In Game 4, which clinched a spot in the championship, he dominated under the basket with 17 points, 17 rebounds, and six blocked shots.
Lagana is a “living legend” in the history of professional basketball, which began in 1997. He is the all-time leading scorer for foreign players (11,343 points) and second only to Seo Jang-hoon (retired – 13,231 points), even including Korean players. He also holds the record for the most championships won by a foreign player. He won three consecutive championships with the Ulsan Hyundai Mobis from 2012-2013, and in 2018-2019, he won four titles with the organization. However, he hasn’t won a title since moving to KCC in the 2019-2020 season.
Lagunia’s determination to reach the championship trophy is unique. After becoming a Korean citizen through special naturalization in 2018, he hung up his Korean flag this year after wearing it for six years, and his contract with KCC ends after this season.
It is unclear whether he will remain in professional basketball, and the upcoming championship is the perfect stage for his ‘last dance’. “Right now, I want to win the championship with KCC,” he said, adding that he is confident that he can face anyone in the championship.