KBL Round 1 (Regular Season): KCC Egis defeat Suwon KT

The Regular Season in KBL just started. Here is the last round review presented by Job Market.

The most crucial game of the last round was a loss of Sonicboom in Jeonju on Saturday night. Visitors were defeated by Egis 77-72. Strangely Suwon KT outrebounded KCC Egis 52-33 including a 20-6 advantage in offensive rebounds. Worth to mention a great performance of American swingman Deonte Burton (193-1994, college: Iowa St.) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 40 points (!!!), 16 rebounds and 4 blocks. The former international guard Ung Heo (183-1993) contributed with 18 points for the winners. American center Rayshaun Hammonds (206-1998, college: Georgia) answered with a double-double by scoring 32 points and 19 rebounds for Suwon KT. Both coaches used bench players in such tough game. Egis is looking forward to face Sono SG in Daegu in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Sonicboom will have a break next round.
Important game to mention about took place in Changwon. Sakers saved a 3-point victory at home edging KoGas 70-67 on Saturday evening. Host team only slightly avoided a big embarassment. Egyptian center Assem Marei (206-1992, college: MSU) stepped up with a double-double by scoring 19 points and 19 rebounds for the winners and Kung-Min Doo chipped in 13 points and 6 assists. At the losing side Filipino guard Samjosef Belangel (177-1999) responded with 20 points. Both coaches tested many bench players in such tough game. Sakers will play against Anyang at home in the next round and are hoping to win another game. KoGas will play against Wonju DB to get more than just one victory in their record.
The game in Ulsan was also quite interesting. Skygunners played at the court of Mobis Phoebus. Skygunners did not have too big problems and got a relatively easy victory 100-82 on Sunday. Jeong-Hyeon Lee nailed 43 points (!!!), 7 assists and 4 steals for the winning side. Gaige Prim came up with 19 points and 7 rebounds for Mobis Phoebus in the defeat. Both coaches allowed to play bench players saving starting five for next games. Skygunners will meet KCC Egis in the next round. Mobis Phoebus will have a break next round.

Other games in round 1 were not that significant. Winless Seoul Thunders were beaten by Wonju DB on the road 88-83. Seoul Knights destroyed Anyang on its own court 95-71. Winless Seoul Thunders unfortunately lost to Suwon KT in Busan 63-72.
The most impressive performance of 1st round was 13 points and 9 rebounds by Kofi Cockburn of Seoul Thunders.



KCC Egis - Suwon KT 77-72

The most crucial game of the last round was a loss of Sonicboom in Jeonju on Saturday night. Visitors were defeated by Egis 77-72. Strangely Suwon KT outrebounded KCC Egis 52-33 including a 20-6 advantage in offensive rebounds. Worth to mention a great performance of American swingman Deonte Burton (193-1994, college: Iowa St.) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 40 points (!!!), 16 rebounds and 4 blocks. The former international guard Ung Heo (183-1993) contributed with 18 points for the winners. American center Rayshaun Hammonds (206-1998, college: Georgia) answered with a double-double by scoring 32 points and 19 rebounds and the former international center Yungi Ha (203-1999) added 8 points and 9 rebounds in the effort for Suwon KT. Both coaches used bench players in such tough game. Egis is looking forward to face Sono SG in Daegu in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Sonicboom will have a break next round.
Top scorers:
KCC Egis: D.Burton 40+16reb+2ast, U.Heo 18+3reb+3ast, C.Jung 7+3reb+2ast, S.Lee 6+5reb, H.Lee 4+2reb+2ast, J.Yeo 2+1reb
Suwon KT: R.Hammonds 32+19reb+2ast, H.Han 14+1reb+1ast, Y.Ha 8+9reb+1ast, J.Tilmon Jr. 6+5reb+2ast, J.Moon 5+8reb+1ast, H.Heo 5+2reb+7ast

LG Sakers - KoGas 70-67

Important game to mention about took place in Changwon. Sakers saved a 3-point victory at home edging KoGas 70-67 on Saturday evening. Host team only slightly avoided a big embarassment. Egyptian center Assem Marei (206-1992, college: MSU) stepped up with a double-double by scoring 19 points and 19 rebounds for the winners and the former international guard Kung-Min Doo (184-1991) chipped in 13 points and 6 assists. At the losing side Filipino guard Samjosef Belangel (177-1999) responded with 20 points and Canadian Andrew Nicholson (206-1989, college: St.Bonaventure) scored 14 points and 7 rebounds. Four KoGas players scored in double figures. Both coaches tested many bench players in such tough game. Sakers will play against Anyang at home in the next round and are hoping to win another game. KoGas will play against Wonju DB to get more than just one victory in their record.
Top scorers:
LG Sakers: A.Marei 19+19reb+2ast, K.Doo 13+1reb+6ast, Y.Sang 10+2reb+3ast, I.Jeong 10+1reb, C.Tamayo 8+7reb+1ast, J.Yang 7+1reb+5ast
KoGas: S.Belangel 20+2reb+3ast, A.Nicholson 14+7reb, D.Lee 10+7reb+2ast, S.Shin 10+2reb, J.Shin 5+2reb+1ast, S.Jeong 4+2reb

Wonju DB - Seoul Thunders 88-83

No shocking result in a game when Wonju DB beat at home Samsung Thunders 88-83 on Saturday. Wonju DB made 20-of-26 free shots (76.9 percent) during the game. American guard Ethan Alvano (185-1996, college: CSUSM) nailed 29 points and 8 assists for the winning side and the former international guard Jongkyu Kim (184-1988) accounted for 12 points and 6 rebounds. Alvano is a former Eurobasket Summer League player, which is considered top international summer league in the market. Jamaican center Kofi Cockburn (213-1999, college: Illinois) came up with a double-double by scoring 24 points and 12 rebounds and center Weon-Seok Lee (203-2000) added 19 points and 7 rebounds (on 9-of-11 shooting from the field) respectively for Seoul Thunders in the defeat. Five Wonju DB and four Seoul Thunders players scored in double figures. Both coaches allowed to play bench players in such tough game. Wonju DB will meet at home KoGas in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Samsung Thunders will have a break next round.
Top scorers:
Wonju DB: E.Alvano 29+1reb+8ast, J.Kim 12+6reb+2ast, R.Carter 12+5reb, C.Onuaku 11+6reb+2ast, S.Kang 10+4reb+5ast, K.Lee 7+1ast
Seoul Thunders: K.Cockburn 24+12reb+1ast, W.Lee 19+7reb, M.Derrickson 19+3reb, J.Lee 10+4reb+10ast, H.Choi 5+4reb, J.Gutang 4+1reb+6ast

Mobis Phoebus - Sono SG 82-100

The game in Ulsan was also quite interesting. Skygunners played at the court of Mobis Phoebus. Skygunners did not have too big problems and got a relatively easy victory 100-82 on Sunday. Sono SG dominated down low during the game scoring 66 of its points in the paint compared to Mobis Phoebus' 46. Forward Jeong-Hyeon Lee (187-1999) nailed 43 points (!!!), 7 assists and 4 steals for the winning side and American center Alan Williams (203-1993, college: UCSB) accounted for 18 points and 11 rebounds. American forward Gaige Prim (203-1999, college: Missouri St.) came up with 19 points and 7 rebounds and the other American import forward Shawn Long (208-1993, college: Louisiana, agency: Pensack Sports) added 17 points and 5 rebounds respectively for Mobis Phoebus in the defeat. Four Mobis Phoebus players scored in double figures. Both coaches allowed to play bench players saving starting five for next games. Skygunners will meet KCC Egis in the next round. Mobis Phoebus will have a break next round.
Top scorers:
Sono SG: J.Lee 43+3reb+7ast, D.Burns Jr. 18+3reb+1ast, A.Williams 18+11reb, M.Kim 6+1reb, D.Lim 5+3reb, S.Choi 4+7reb+2ast
Mobis Phoebus: G.Prim 19+7reb+1ast, W.Lee 17+4reb+2ast, S.Long 17+5reb+1ast, G.Kim 16+5reb, M.Park 5+3reb+4ast, J.Ham 3+1reb+4ast

Seoul Knights - Anyang 95-71

Very expected game when Anyang was smashed by Knights in Seoul 95-71 on Sunday. Seoul Knights dominated down low during the game scoring 68 of its points in the paint compared to Anyang's 36. Seoul Knights looked well-organized offensively handing out 26 assists. American center Jameel Warney (203-1994, college: Stony Brook) nailed a double-double by scoring 19 points, 12 rebounds and 7 assists for the winning side and the former international forward Youngjun An (195-1995) accounted for 24 points and 7 rebounds (on 10-of-11 shooting from the field). The former international forward Byung-Jun Bae (188-1990) came up with 22 points and Haitian center Cady Lalanne (208-1992, college: UMass) added 14 points and 10 rebounds respectively for Anyang in the defeat. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Knights will meet at home Wonju DB in the next round which should be theoretically another easy game. Anyang will play against LG Sakers in Changwon and hope to win that game.
Top scorers:
Seoul Knights: Y.An 24+7reb+2ast, J.Warney 19+12reb+7ast, J.Oh 16+4reb+5ast, S.Oh 9+4reb+1ast, H.Kim 7+5reb+1ast, B.Choi 6+3reb+1ast
Anyang: B.Bae 22+4reb+3ast, C.Lalanne 14+10reb+3ast, J.Park 10+4reb+6ast, M.Young 6+5reb+2ast, K.Kim 4+2reb, S.Choi 4+1reb+3ast

Suwon KT - Seoul Thunders 72-63

Sonicboom used a home court advantage and won against the opponent from Seoul 72-63 on Sunday night. The former international guard Hoon Heo (181-1995) nailed 17 points and 7 assists for the winning side and American center Rayshaun Hammonds (206-1998, college: Georgia) accounted for 11 points and 9 rebounds. Jamaican center Kofi Cockburn (213-1999, college: Illinois) came up with 13 points and 9 rebounds and guard Seung-Uk Choi (187-1994) added 8 points and 6 rebounds respectively for Seoul Thunders in the defeat. Both coaches allowed to play bench players saving starting five for next games. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
Suwon KT: H.Heo 17+7ast, J.Moon 16+3reb+2ast, R.Hammonds 11+9reb+1ast, H.Han 9+2reb+2ast, J.Tilmon Jr. 8+11reb, S.Moon 4+4reb+3ast
Seoul Thunders: K.Cockburn 13+9reb+2ast, W.Lee 12+2reb, S.Choi 8+6reb+1ast, H.Choi 7, J.Gutang 6+6reb+2ast, M.Derrickson 6+4reb+1ast