grapplegraphics.com Despite the team’s loss, Park In-woong’s performance made DB look forward to the future.
Wonju DB lost 94-99 in the first round of the 2023-2024 Korean Basketball League against Anyang Jungkwanjang at the Wonju General Gymnasium on Tuesday.
Although it was only one game out of 54, there was a lot at stake in the first meeting between DB and Jung Kwanjang from a record perspective.
If DB had won, it would have matched the KBL’s opening eight-game winning streak from the 2011-2012 season and ended a 10-game losing streak in the head-to-head series against Chung that began in the 2021-2022 season.레모나토토
But as it turned out, it wasn’t to be. A nemesis remains a nemesis. Before the match, Kim Joo-sung’s sister-in-law said that the first-round matchup with Jung Kwan-jang was the biggest challenge.
Unable to control Lee Jong-hyun, Jung Hyo-geun, and Darryl Monroe, DB struggled throughout, falling behind by 19 points at one point in the first half.
However, there was a corner that DB believed in. Based on their last two games against KCC and Hyundai Mobis, DB has proven this season that they have a strong backbone that can turn games around in the second half. This game was no different.
With the entire team’s offense down, including Lawson, it was Park In-woong who stepped up to spearhead the team’s offense.
After scoring four points in the first quarter, Park drilled two three-pointers to start the third quarter. He shook the opposing defenders with his jab-steps left and right and rose up confidently, changing the atmosphere in the arena.
Fueled by Park’s successive outside shots, DB was able to get the rest of the Korean lineup to come alive and approach the one-possession mark. In the meantime, Park’s fingertips didn’t cool down.
Park continued to hit three-pointers, baffling the Jungkwanjang bench. By the middle of the fourth quarter, Park was shooting 100% from the field, including three three-pointers. Hoesim’s three-pointer with the game on the line missed the rim. At the most crucial moment, Park missed his first free throw.
On the day, Park finished with 15 points and one rebound in 23 minutes and 14 seconds. It’s not an impressive stat line, but each of his three-pointers was pure gold.
After the game, coach Kim Joo-sung said, “He’s a player who always tries to do his part. He’s been up and down since the first game, but he’s a player with one shot. He’s always ready, so I look forward to seeing him play,” he said.
Park was a standout offensively in college, where he was one of the top scorers. He was considered for Rookie of the Year honors last season, but injuries slowed him down.
Desperate in the offseason, Park worked hard to become a complete player under the tutelage of Kim Joo-sung, who had already made a name for himself with his offensive prowess and defense.
As a result, Park is averaging 7.6 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1 assist in 19:42 minutes in eight games this season. He’s playing about three minutes less than he did last season, but he’s scoring twice as many points. It’s a clear growth graph across the board.
Now in his second year in the KBL, Park’s remarkable growth is making DB’s bench feel stronger and happier.