After losing back-to-back games in the first two seasons of its existence, Goyang Sono head coach Kim Seung-ki sees more hope than disappointment, saying his team will get better every game and every season.
The Sono lost their second straight game to open the 2023-2024 season, a 79-90 home loss to Seoul SK on Nov. 24, following an 89-110 opening night victory over Wonju DB on Nov. 22.
Sono is a new name in professional basketball this season.
The Goyang Sono Skygunners were reborn after Sono International bought the Goyang Orion and reorganized the team after it was suspended last season for unpaid wages.
Sono, who took over from the original Day One squad, including head coach Kim Seung-ki, had been criticized for being far from a top-tier team heading into the season, and their opening two games were not as easy as expected.
One of the biggest worries for Kim is that the team’s centerpiece, Jeon Seong-hyun, and key guard Lee Jung-hyun, have not been able to return to form after attending the Hangzhou Asian Games.
Jeon Sung-hyun exploded for 27 points, and Lee Jung-hyun had a much better performance than the last game with 15 points and 8 assists, which somewhat erased Kim’s concerns, but the team was unable to overcome the seesaw game against ‘favorite’ SK and had to settle for a second straight loss at home.
After the game, Kim said, “The players decided to fight to the death, just like last season, but as you can see, it’s not enough. We outplayed them in every aspect,” he said with a rueful smile.
“We tried to stay with SK until the end, but our concentration dropped, and it became difficult because we were just running people,” Kim said, adding, “I thought (Lee) Jung-hyun would do something at the end, but it didn’t work out.”
But Kim took a team in a similar situation to a four-way playoff last season.
“The team is not good. It’s not easy to perform this season with this group,” Kim said, which is why his words are considered “sickening”.
“Today was better than the last game, and the next 카지노 game will be better. We will practice so that even one player can get better,” he said, emphasizing that “the situation is difficult now, but we will do our best to get back on our feet.”
“I’m sorry for the fans, but even if we don’t make the playoffs, it will be the last time this season,” he said, vowing to keep going.