SK players told us to win

Busan KCC defeated Seoul SK 97-77 in the third round of the 2023-2024 professional basketball semifinal playoff at Sajik Indoor Stadium in Busan on the 8th. With this victory, KCC advanced to the semifinal stage in three seasons after the 2020-2021 season, settling for the semifinal playoff where they played the fewest games.

After a somewhat tense first quarter, the game was decided early in the second quarter. KCC hit eight 3-pointers (73 percent success rate) in the second quarter and also caught six quick breaks. After dominating the second quarter, KCC continued to lead and win the game in the second half, starting 61-34.

At the center of the victory was Choi Joon-yong (24 points, three rebounds, three assists, 31 minutes, 37 seconds, two steals). Choi scored 14 points in the second quarter alone, including two three-pointers. 14 points in the second quarter is the largest number of points scored by a player in a single quarter of the game. In the early part of the second quarter, he blocked Choi Boo-kyung's fast break score from the front, contributing to his counterattack, heating up the gymnasium.

After the game, Choi Jun-yong visited the interview room and said, "I want to say thank you to the coaches and coaches. After today's game, SK players told me to win the championship. I will prepare well to win the championship."

"I didn't have any thoughts. It was my first game of the season. I was able to raise my score (after that), but I regret that I lost concentration right away," he said of his strong performance in the second quarter.

The semifinal playoff opponent is regular season champion Wonju DB. In terms of position, Choi will match up with Kang. Choi smiled and said, "I will apply it as usual."

There was also a story about the Super Team. When asked, "Do you think KCC is a Super Team at the moment?" Choi said, "The Super Team needs to win. No matter how many good players you have, you are not a Super Team. It's a job that requires us to produce results. A team that only looks good on the outside is not a Super Team. No, we want to be a Super Team that people can recognize."

Meanwhile, KCC will meet DB, which won wire-to-wire in the regular league. The first round of the semifinal playoff will be held at Wonju Stadium at 7 p.m. on the 15th.