While Samsung Earned 2nd Consecutive Wins, LG Lost Once

After opening the season to lose 3 straight games, the Samsung Thunders began to recover its dignity as a defending champion, winning two games in a row last weekend.

When the Samsung fell into the shocking 3rd consecutive loss, a variety of solutions have been presented. Some even suggested the trade of players as well as psychotherapy. But the coaching staffs believed in the potential of the players to suggest to the players the most fundamental solution, as it were, to play only their own roles.

In the 2001-2002 Anycall Professional Basketball League, the Samsung Thunders grabbed an 89-87 dramatic two-point win in game with the Mobis Automons at Jamsil Gymnasium yesterday. The Samsung was able to win this game because the players played well their own roles as the coaching staffs expected. At the early stage of the season, the Samsung suffered from the out-of-tuned perimeter shootings. But in this game, the Samsung presaged its victory early with the resurrection of its shooters firing 5 three-point shots in first quarter including Joo Hee-Jung`s three long-shots.

After ending the first half with a small lead, the Samsung appeared to make sure its victory, when it widened the lead up to 73-60 in the middle of third quarter taking advantage of the opponent`s errors.

However, overconfidence called the counterattack. As Artimus McClary`s shooting missed the rim and Lee Kyu-Seop committed an offensive foul, the Mobis chased up to 75-69.

The Samsung encountered the critical moment to otherwise blow out the victory in the fourth quarter. With three minutes to end, the Mobis sent to the court three guards with long-range shooting ability such as Kang Dong-Hee, Jung Jin-Young, and Ha Sang-Yoon. As Ha Sang-Yoon made a shot from the downtown, the Mobis chased up to 86-85. At this moment, it was Lee Jung-Rae who got the team out of the jam. In a 86-87 led situation by Kang Dong-Hee`s two-point shot, Lee Jung-Rae, who came out to the court for the first time in three minutes of the fourth quarter, made a dramatic come-from-behind three-point shot to lead the team`s two-point victory just 14.3 seconds before the end of the game.

For Samsung, McClary (28 points and 7 rebounds) and Mustapha Hoff (16 points and 7 rebounds) dominated the painted zone, and Lee Kyu-Seop, Joo Hee-Jung (16 points), and Lee Jung-Rae (6 points, two three-point shots) backed up from the perimeter.

At Changwon, the KCC Egis, with Jackie Jones, defeated 112-93 the LG Sakers to win the 2nd consecutive victory after three straight losses, obstructing five straight wins of the LG Sakers.

hyangsan@donga.com