KCC’s Playoff Dominance: How They Overcame Jeonggwanjang in the 2025-2026 Season

Daniel Kim 2026.04.25 Views

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[MyDaily = Anyang Jeonggwanjang Arena, Reporter Noh Chan-hyuk] Busan KCC coach Lee Sang-min expressed confidence after Game 1.

On April 24 at Anyang Jeonggwanjang Arena, Busan KCC beat Anyang Jeonggwanjang 91-75 in Game 1 of the 2025–26 LG Electronics Pro Basketball semifinals.

KCC led after the first quarter, allowed Anyang to close within three in the second, then pulled away in the third behind Choi Jun-yong. Sean Long delivered in the fourth to help seal the Game 1 victory.

After the game, Lee praised the team’s collective effort. He singled out Heo Hoon, Heo Ung and Song Kyo-chang for locking down the opponent’s front line in the first half. Holding a guard-heavy Anyang to just seven points proved decisive.

“We attacked until their defense broke. There are areas I’m disappointed with, but those are fixable,” Lee said. “We had a break in our schedule, but we rested enough to finish strong. Anyang won’t go away easily — they hadn’t played in two weeks, so their rhythm was off. Sean Long did a solid job on Allen Henderson (Wonju DB), who reminds me of Jonny O’Bryant. Five guys played with energy, and seizing the momentum in the third quarter was the turning point.”

KCC locked down Anyang’s offense in the third quarter. Lee added that the team had conceded more threes than inside looks in the first half, so he stressed perimeter defense, tougher rebounding and preparing for transition opportunities.

Heo Hoon played 32 minutes and 57 seconds but scored only nine points. Lee said Heo hadn’t felt well since the morning, but managed to finish the game strongly despite not being at full condition before tipoff.

KCC has been especially dangerous in the postseason. After finishing sixth in the regular season, they’ve strung together four straight wins since the six-team playoff began. Two seasons ago, KCC also captured the championship despite finishing sixth in the regular season.

“I wanted us to get through the season healthy, but that didn’t happen,” Lee said. “Players who joined late after the regular season have stepped up, and Heo Hoon is showing a different side than he did in the regular season, creating real synergy. Choi Jun-yong said he felt bad about his regular-season play, but he’s taking responsibility now. Our goal is to win the title. We know how to win short series, so I keep emphasizing fundamentals — box-outs, denying backdoor cuts, and not giving up easy second chances. If we do that, we’ll put ourselves in a good position.”