Busan KCC had a magical second quarter to pull off the upset.
Busan KCC defeated Changwon LG 92-88 in the final game of the Group B preliminary round of the 2024 DB Insurance KBL Cup in Jecheon at Jecheon Gymnasium on Tuesday.
With the win, the ‘defending champions’ kept their last shred of pride as they finished the tournament with a 1-1 record. LG dropped a heartbreaking game and packed their bags with two losses. However, both teams failed to advance to the quarterfinals. The semifinals will pit Suwon KT against Daegu KOGAS and Wonju DB against 메이저 토토사이트 Ulsan Hyundai Mobis.
Both teams had already been eliminated from the semifinals. LG exploded in the first quarter. Yang Jun-seok and Heo Il-young hit outside shots and had fun in the paint. Defensively shaky, KCC ended the quarter trailing by 18 points, 15-33.
The second quarter was the exact opposite. With Dionte Burton, Heo Woong, Lee Seung-hyun, and Choi Jun-yong in the lineup, KCC looked like a ‘super team’. Burton poured in 18 points, including three three-pointers, while Heoung also chipped in. KCC scored 39 points in the second quarter alone to take a 54-45 lead into halftime.
KCC’s momentum didn’t slow down in the second half. KCC racked up points through a variety of offensive routes, building a lead of over 20 points midway through the third quarter. However, LG started to close the gap as they slowly started to deal with KCC’s fast-paced offense. The third quarter ended with KCC leading 78-64.
LG made a late charge, scoring 24 points in the final quarter alone. Jeon Sung-hyun, Yoo Yoo-sang, and Heo Il-young hit three-pointers to keep the score close. However, KCC, led by Burton, defended well the rest of the way to secure their first win of the tournament.
Burton, making his return to the KBL after a seven-year absence, was brilliant with 26 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists. Heo Woong added 22 points, while Choi Jun-yong nearly had a double-double with 19 points and nine rebounds.
For LG, Yang Jun-seok and Heo Il-young added 15 and 14 points, respectively. Asem Marey also had 13 points and 10 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the loss. The second quarter was a tough one for LG, as they faltered and gave up nearly 40 points.