Samsung Strikes Back

“Staking my pride, I, by all means, wanted to win.”

The Samsung Life Insurance turned the table of the Cup Finals back to its original position yesterday by beating the Woori Bank by 78-66 at the second match of the final round of the 2003 summer league of the women`s professional basketball. Now the both teams hold one win each. Whichever to grab three prior victories become the champion. The third match will be held Tuesday at Jangcheung Gymnasium.

“Caching, Caching and Caching… Everyone now talks about her and it really hurt my feelings. We are proud of being the best in the national league and have several national team players. I wanted to show one foreign player could not alter the landscape of the Korean women`s basketball league.”

After the match, Park In-kyeu repetitively mentioned the word `pride` over and over. Park who failed to block Caching at the first match, made Park Jeong-eun defend Cashing. At the first match, Wausters and Kim Kye-ryeong tried to stop Cashing alternately but failed as they lagged behind in terms of speed,

Park analyzes. So Park shifted his strategy and decided to use Park who is also remarkably fast. Park chased Cashing all the time not to give chance for Caching to make chances and when Caching slips away from Park, other players closely enclosed Cashing while forming a double team.

Caching had to penetrate twofold or threefold defense to make a chance to shoot. Caching who scored 28 points at the first match could only earn 17 points. The spirit of the Woori, which could not initiate offense properly, went down.

While Park held back Caching, the Samsung dominated the game with Wausters (24 points) and Kim Kye-ryeong(9 points). The Samsung dominated the first half by 47-34 with swift attacks from Lee Mi-seon (13 points) and Byeon Yeon-ha (16 points) and Wausters` outstanding performance under the goal post.

At the third quarter, the score gap widened by 61-42, with superior performance of Wausters and Lee Mi-seon, virtually confirming the fate of the match. The Woori narrowed down the gap at the last quarter but was not enough reverse the tide.

Won-Hong Lee bluesky@donga.com