It was the best shooter in the league, Kang I-seul (28,180cm), who finished the long and lengthy 2nd overtime game.
Cheongju KB Stars, led by Kang Yi-seul, won a thrilling 64-62 victory after the second overtime match in the 5th round of the 2022-2023 women’s professional basketball regular league between Busan BNK Some and Shinhan Bank SOL at the Cheongju Gymnasium on the 11th.
Iseul Kang recorded 32 points and 22 rebounds in 46 minutes and 1 second. He broke the record for most points and most rebounds in his career all season. Joining the 30-20 club also made an unforgettable night. The only players who have joined the 30-20 club in WKBL history are retired commentators Jung Eun-soon, Park Ji-soo, and Kang I-seul.
Iseul Kang said, “We lost the last match so badly that all the players wanted to win. It’s good to win even if it’s difficult,” she said, revealing her thrilling victory.
“I didn’t know it was such a great record,” she said of joining the 30-20 club. Because I see (Park) Jisoo every day (laughs). It is an honor to be named alongside such good players,” she said.
In the last attack of the 2nd overtime, which started 62-62, Kang I-seul shot two opposing defenders, but he cleared the rim and led the team to victory. It was a deep right corner, so it was a difficult angle to make a shot. However, Iseul Kang did not cover his position as the best shooter in the league.
Iseul Kang said, “At the end, I told the players to just get out of the way if it didn’t work out at all (laughs). He said he would shoot whether I put it in or not. I got out of the way as if the players thought it was bad,” he said, showing the team’s ace-like aspect.
Park Ji-soo and 안전놀이터Yum Yoon-ah were out due to injuries, and Kim Min-jung also suffered a neck injury early in the game and withdrew from the court. In the difficult team situation, Iseul Kang felt more responsible and poured out everything on the court.
Iseul Kang is having a difficult season personally and as a team this season. The team is in 5th place with 9 wins and 16 losses, and his 3-point shooting percentage has fallen below 30% for the first time since his first two seasons. Kang Isul must have felt a lot of psychological pressure.
Kang Isul said, “Looking back, it was very difficult in the beginning. He also looked for excuses elsewhere. In the middle, I tried to do something. Now I try to accept the situation and enjoy it. Even if the shot doesn’t go in, I’m looking for something I can do, and I’m paying attention to the rebound. Today (the 11th), the shooting feeling was good, so the overall play seems to have worked out well.”
In fact, Iseul Kang recorded the most rebounds in his personal career, proving his value not only in offense but also in defense. Also, of the 26 field shots attempted on the day, only 5 were 3-pointers. It showed that Kang Isul’s weapon is not just a 3-point shot.
Director Kim Wan-soo also said, “I am more grateful that (Kang) Lee Seul-yi did a good job for me rather than scoring 32 points. I want to praise him for rebounding well.”
Finally, “The players say that if there is even a 1% chance, let’s do it until the end. And even if we are eliminated from the playoffs, we will do our best until the end. I think that is a courtesy to the fans and opponents who support them,” he said, announcing that the season of KB Stars is not yet over.