Cheongju KB and Asan Woori Bank.
Turnaround is the keyword for the 2023-2024 season of the Women’s Professional Basketball League. Historically, the league has been characterized by an absolute powerhouse and the rest of the teams fighting for second place. In the 2021-2022 season, Cheongju KB clinched the top spot in the regular season after 24 games, 토토사이트 추천 the shortest in history, while last season, Asan Woori Bank took the top spot after playing the second-fewest games, 25.
This season, there is no such dominance. KB and Woori Bank are in a tight battle. KB is in first place with a 15-2 overall record, while Woori Bank is in second place with a 14-2 record. The two teams have met three times this season, with KB leading Woori Bank 2-1. With three more matches to go, this result will likely decide the standings.
KB is a completely different team with the presence of Park Ji-soo (27). Last season, KB finished fifth as Park was limited to just nine games due to injury. However, once Park returned to health, KB returned to their former glory.
“Park Ji-soo is at his peak physically and in terms of experience,” said Woori Bank coach Lee Sat-woo, “and it’s not easy to stop the plays that derive from him.”
However, the newly restructured defending champion Woori Bank is not a team to be trifled with. Kim Dan-bi (34) and Park Ji-hyun (24) have a great chemistry, and Choi Yi-sam (30) is a solid backup. Woori Bank’s rise has also been fueled by the remarkable growth of Lee Myung-kwan (27). In their first meeting this season against KB, Lee hit a buzzer-beater to seal the game.
KB coach Kim Wan-soo said, “Although they are an opponent, Lee Myung-kwan has improved noticeably,” adding that Woori Bank is also a strong team. “The players are showing a little more focus when playing against Woori Bank,” Kim said, “I want to give them a little more offense, but most importantly, I want to make sure they don’t get injured, so I’m determined to play the rest of the season.”