Incheon, South Korea – The Cheongju KB Stars secured a crucial 69-64 victory over the Incheon Shinhan Bank S-Birds on Sunday, narrowing the gap in the playoff race. The win at the Incheon Dowon Gymnasium kept the KB Stars' postseason aspirations alive.
With this victory, the fifth-place KB Stars (8-15) are now just half a game behind the fourth-placed Shinhan Bank (9-15).
Song Yun-ha was instrumental in the KB Stars' win, contributing 21 points on six two-pointers and three three-pointers. This performance marked her highest single-game scoring output this season, surpassing her previous best of 16 points against Busan BNK in December.
Kang Yi-seul also played a pivotal role, logging 39 minutes and 9 seconds with 11 points and 9 assists.
For the Shinhan Bank, Rika Tanimura recorded a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds, but it was not enough to prevent the loss. Choi Yi-saem (18 points), Lee Kyung-eun (14 points), and Hong Yu-sun (11 points) also made significant contributions.
The Shinhan Bank will look to bounce back on March 3rd when they face the Asan Woori Bank. The KB Stars, meanwhile, will host the Busan BNK on April 1st.
A hard-fought contest
The Shinhan Bank started the game strong, taking an early lead behind Tanimura's three-pointer and a focus on attacking the paint. However, the KB Stars rallied in the second quarter with Song Yun-ha scoring from both inside and outside the arc.
The third quarter saw a tightly contested battle, ending in a tie. It was in the final quarter that the KB Stars pulled away. Despite a brief Shinhan Bank lead midway through the fourth, a crucial three-pointer from Kang Yi-seul put the KB Stars back in front. Free throws from Heo Ye-eun and Song Yun-ha sealed the victory for the KB Stars.
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