Defending professional basketball champion Anyang Kwanjang has reached the quarterfinals of the MG Saemaul Bank KBL Cup.
The team defeated the Ulsan Hyundai Mobis 91-84 behind Park Ji-hoon’s 16 points and five assists in Group D of the tournament at Wolmyeong Gymnasium in Gunsan, Jeollabuk-do, on Monday.
There were only two teams in Group D, with the winner advancing to the quarterfinals.
After reaching the top of the table in the 2022-2023 season, Jung Kwan-jang made a major change to his roster. The team’s pillar, Oh Se-geun, was transferred to Seoul SK, and the team lost several of its championship members, including Yang Hee-jong’s retirement and Byun Jun-hyung’s enlistment.
Instead, the team brought in Choi Sung-won from SK and Lee Jong-hyun from Busan KCC to overhaul their lineup.
Choi had 14 points, including two three-pointers, to spark the offense. Lee Jong-hyun added four points in seven minutes and 56 seconds of action.
In Group B, Busan KCC defeated Daegu KOGAS 98-78, a 20-point victory, behind the contributions of Choi Jun-yong, Ragan-ah, and Heo Woong.
Choi, who switched from Seoul SK this season, scored 26 points, including three three-pointers.
Ragan-ah, who represented his country at the Hangzhou Asian Games, warmed up with eight points and seven rebounds. Heung also chipped in with 12 points.
Led by the duo, KCC took the lead from the start of the first quarter and never tied the game en route to their first win.
GAS’s Isaiah Hicks injured his Achilles tendon during the game and was benched after playing just 1 minute and 22 seconds, putting a dark cloud over acting head coach Kang Hyuk’s face.
Anthony Moss (19 points, 15 rebounds) stepped in after Hicks went down with the injury, but KCC couldn’t keep up. 스포츠토토
