Basketball’s Top 3 Still Looking Good

“The flower of winter sports,” the pro basketball league, will start its six-month race for the 2006-2007 season with the opening game of Samsung vs. KTF at Jamsil Indoor Stadium in Seoul on October 19.

The regular season of 54 games for each team and 270 games in total will end on March 25 next year and be followed by a playoff and championship games at the end of April.

With the league leveling off, who will be the winner of this season seems unpredictable.

Top Three System Continued –

Last regular season’s top three teams Mobis (first place), Samsung (second), and Dongbu (third) seem stable. With Best Foreign Player winner Chris Williams and new center Burgess Chris (204cm), Mobis is stronger at the goal line. Samsung retains its best 5 system of Olumide Oyedeji, Nate Johnson, Lee Gyu-seop, Kang Hyeok, and Seo Jang-hoon to continue its solid team power. Dongbu enhanced its guard with new players such as Lee Se-beom, Kang Dae-hyeop, and Bae Kil-tae. With the new rule that only one foreign player can play in the second and third quarter, Samsung and Dongbu will gain an edge over other teams. The Orions led by coach Kim Jin is a dark horse.

Unstable Three Ks –

The three teams whose name starts with K—KCC, KT&G, and KTF—are expected to struggle in this season. KCC lost two players as Cho Seong-won retired and Michael Wright had an ankle injury. KTF without Cho Sang-hyeon and Dixon Nigel has less gravity, and KT&G does not have any noticeable new players.

Three Teams to Notice –

Most of pro basketball coaches count SK, ET Land, and LG as noticeable teams in this season. These three teams failed to advance to the playoff of last season but aim to be on the top in this season. Ranked low in a row for four years with main players injured, SK enhanced its power by adding Lou Roe, who was the best player in Spain. ET Land is refreshed with new players such as Kim Seong-cheol, Cho Woo-hyeon, and Hwang Seong-in. LG added shooter Cho Sang-hyeon and Minlend Charles while refreshing team with Park Ji-hyeon, who discharged from military service, as new point guard.

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