Championship to Yensei Univ. in 5 Years

Yensei University become champion of the Basketball Festival in 5 years.

Yesterday, Yensei beat last year`s champion the Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps`s basketball team (KAFAC) 85-76 in the final of the Basketball Festival 2002-2003, which took place at the Chongchoong Stadium.

It is the fourth championship for Yensei. Yensei last won the title in the 97-98 season, when it had Suh Chong-hoon as its player.

By winning the game, Yensei got even with the KAFAC. In the preliminaries, Yensei was beaten by the KAFAC. From last year, Yensei has won 5 championships in a row.

Bong Sung-yoon, an all-around player of Yensei, contributed most. He was not in top condition due to the injury he sustained in the semifinal against Kyung-Hee University the previous day. Nonetheless, he scored 32 points with 6 three-pointers, and recorded 10 rebounds. In addition, its center Kim Dong-woo recorded 24 scores and 13 rebounds.

The KAFAC tried to catch up in the fourth quarter by 8 points with consecutive goals by Kang Hyuk, Lee Gyu-sup and cho Sang-hyun. But it could not overturn the game for it. Its center Chung Hoon-chong, who led his team`s victory over Yensei in the preliminaries, could not brush off Park Kwong-jae`s water-tight defense.

Among women`s teams, Kimchun City Hall grabbed the title, beating Yongin University 96-74.

Kimchun tied the game up to the end of the 3rd quarter 64-64. With the beginning of the fourth, it got to take the initiative with successful free throws of Chung Gui-boon (26 pts.) and Park Myung-ah (21 pts.). For Yongin, Kim Soh-eun scored 21.

MVP went to Kim Dong-woo and Park Myung-ah.

Chang Jeon jeon@donga.com