Suwon KT lost 76-87 to Changwon LG in the 2023-2024 Jeonggwanjang Professional Basketball Regular League held at Changwon Gymnasium on the 11th. It tied for second place with 30 wins and 17 losses, but fell behind LG with two wins and four losses in the opponent team. If the season ends as it is, it will not be the only runner-up. 안전놀이터 추천
KT has made changes in the composition of Korean players after the end of the 2022-2023 season. It brought along Moon Sung-gon (195 centimeters, F), a member of the heyday of Anyang KGC Ginseng Corporation (currently Anyang Jeonggwanjang), and the best defender in the KBL. He highly appreciated Moon's strong competitive spirit and wide range of defense.
Ha Yoon-ki (204 cm tall, C) has grown significantly in the 2022-2023 season, and veteran players such as Jeong Seong-woo (178 cm tall, G) and Han Hee-won (195 cm tall, F) have also joined the team. Newcomers such as Lee Doo-won (204 cm tall, C) and Moon Jung-hyun (195 cm tall, F) can also play their part. Heo Hoon (180 cm tall, G), the ace of the team, has returned from the military.
When it comes to Korean players, KT cannot be considered a strong powerhouse. However, if a foreign player who can play with Korean players does not perform well, a team that lavishly composed Korean players does not enjoy the experience. KT also had such experience. This is why the team paid attention to foreign players.
KT's first choice was Paris Bath. Bath is a forward-type foreign player. Although he lacks under-the-basket defense and rebounds, he creates synergy with his teammates through attacks such as scoring and passing. In particular, he performed well in the third round. During an average of 32 minutes and 8 seconds for the third round, he scored 30.1 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game. As a result, he won the third round MVP.
He has been tormenting his opponents with various scoring options even after the fourth round. He can also gain the upper hand in the showdown with LG. Bath's wide range of attack and speed could agitate Astem Maray (202 cm, C), a foreign player with LG's first option.
Bath's shooting performance was not good in the early part of the game. Nevertheless, he accumulated scores by deploying fastballs and inducing free fouls. He also proactively defended by rebounding and holding out.
However, as I mentioned earlier, I did not have good concentration in finishing. In addition, due to persistent defense by Yang Hong-seok (195 cm, F) and Jeong Hee-jae (196 cm, F), I could not hold the ball properly. I had to hold the ball at a distance from the three-point line.
However, Bath is a powerful player even under the basket. When matched with a Korean player, he can win points with his strength. He induced a foul in front of Yang Hong-seok. He put pressure on Yang.
However, KT finished the first quarter with a score of 15-21. KT, which was underperforming, paid more attention to the height. That's why he deployed Michael Eric (210 centimeters, C) in the second quarter. He wanted to stop Maray somehow.
In addition, Eric diligently participated in swift attacks. However, he missed an easy scoring opportunity. KT manager Song Young-jin put Bath back in at 2 minutes and 58 seconds into the second quarter. Since the gap between LG and KT was not that big, KT manager Song Young-jin decided to strengthen Bath's strength.
However, Bath reacted nervously to Chung's defense. A double technical foul with Chung at 4:19 into the second quarter. After Bath committed a technical foul, KT allowed Lee Kwan-hee (191 cm, G) to score three points. It missed the opportunity to turn the game around 23-28.
However, Maray stepped down to the bench with 4:22 left before the end of the second quarter. It was an opportunity for KT. It was the same for Bath. When he plays with Ha Yoon-ki, he can tap into LG's low stature.
Recognizing this, Bath was more aggressive when it played one-on-one. After using the screen, he succeeded in scoring three points. In addition, he was fouled due to his fast dribbling and balance, despite the switching of opponent teams' defense. Afterwards, he played a layup with his flexible movements and dribbling. He narrowed the gap between KT and LG to "1" (33-34).
Bath, who scored consecutive points, emptied the final 32 seconds of the second quarter. However, even though Bath was out for a brief time, KT had to feel Bath's absence. It finished the first half with a score of 33-36, and missed the chance to turn the tables as well.
However, KT fell to 33-44 at the first minute and 27 seconds of the third quarter. Bath utilized Ha Yoon-ki's ball-less screen. It then led to Chung's foul. It reduced Chung's move. Chung's fouls increased to three.
Bath then faced Jeong In-deok (196 cm, F). It was easier than Chung. He lacked both strength and defense skills.
However, none of the KT players, including Bath, could keep up with the LG players' commitment. They failed to overcome LG's passion to block them. KT was pushed to 39-56 with 2:44 left in the third quarter, and KT coach Song Young-jin had to call the second time of the second half.
Nevertheless, KT finished the third quarter 48-66. Bath was more active in the fourth quarter. In particular, he showed confidence in front of Juan Telo (203 cm, F). Easily scored based on strength and step. He began his chase.
Then, he back-downed to Yang Hong-seok. Then, he looked at the other four. Bath, who was holding the ball, passed it to Jung Sung-woo, who cut it on the left wing. As Bath gained strength, KT also narrowed the gap to 58-70 just two minutes and 21 seconds into the fourth quarter.
However, KT failed to block Lee Jae-do from scoring consecutive goals. Bath was also a victim. Lee Jae-do was blocked until the end, but Lee Jae-do allowed a buzzer-beater. KT, which failed to control Lee Jae-do, fell back to 58-75 six minutes and 46 seconds before the end of the game.
KT couldn't narrow the gap with LG. He sensed defeat and called Bath to the bench three minutes and 52 seconds before the game ended. There was also a reason why KT had to give up early. The team had to play four games from Friday to Sunday. However, Bath must have felt sorry for the team. Both teams scored 26 points, the most, but failed to lead them to victory in important matches.