Busan KCC, a professional basketball team with a 'national-level lineup', defeated Ulsan Hyundai Mobis and took the top spot in the KBL Cup for the first time.
KCC won the championship by defeating Hyundai Mobis 81-76 in the final of the 2023 MG Saemaeul Geumgo KBL Cup held at Wolmyeong Gymnasium in Gunsan, Jeollabuk-do on the 15th. This is the first time that KCC has risen to the top in a cup competition established in 2020. In particular, from KCC's perspective, it was a competition with special meaning in that the trophy was lifted at the 'second stadium' in Jeonju, the old hometown, about two months after moving to Busan in August of this year.
KCC, with its powerful lineup, was selected as the top contender for the championship from the opening game. Existing members such as Heo Woong, Laguna, and Lee Seung-hyun were joined by Choi Jun-yong through free agency this summer, and Alize DeShawn Johnson, a former member of the National Basketball Association (NBA), was also recruited as a foreign player.
As expected, KCC's attack was fierce. Johnson led the team to victory by achieving a double-double with 24 points and 12 rebounds, Heo Woong contributed with 15 points and 5 assists, and Choi Jun-yong contributed with 11 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists. Hyundai Mobis struggled with Gage Prim scoring 20 points, Lee Woo-seok scoring 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Kebe Aluma scoring 13 points, but in the end, they were unable to surpass KCC's ultra-luxurious member and remained in second place for the second year in a row since last year.
The two teams continued their see-saw game with fierce attacks. In the first quarter, Hyundai Mobis, led by Lee Woo-seok, Prim, and Kim Tae-wan, took a large lead of 35-15. However, the atmosphere changed drastically in the second quarter. KCC chased down the opponent with consecutive 3-pointers by Lee Geun-hwi and Choi Jun-yong, plus scores by Johnson and Lee Ho-hyun, and with 3 minutes and 11 seconds left in the quarter, Johnson's dunk followed by Heo Woong's interception succeeded, tying the game at 42-42. made.
The third quarter was truly a close game. The two teams had a fierce battle, tying the score four times, and Hyundai Mobis entered the fourth quarter with a one-goal lead, 68-66. The seesaw game continued in the last quarter. As KCC succeeded in turning the game around with Heo Woong's 3-point shot, Hyundai Mobis came back with Kebe Aluma's 2-point shot.
However, as the game continued, KCC took a slight advantage. While Heo Woong, Lee Ho-hyun, and Choi Jun-yong scored in succession to widen the lead to 77-70, Hyundai Mobis missed all of their decisive shots. With about a minute left in the game, Aluma narrowed the gap to 4 points by hitting a 3-pointer, but Ho-Hyun Lee and Johnson scored in a row, giving KCC a clear victory.
KCC received 50 million won in prize money for winning that day, and Johnson, who received support from 43 out of 71 reporters, was selected as the tournament's Most Valuable Player (MVP) and received 3 million won in prize money.