The end of a dominant season is in sight.
Kookmin Bank leads the Woori WON 2023-2024 Women’s Professional Basketball League with a 23-2 record. The team won its last game against ‘rival’ Woori Bank on November 11, extending its winning streak to 12 games. They increased their lead over second-place Woori Bank to four games and reduced the magic number of regular season wins to one.
Kookmin Bank is having a tremendous season centered around Park Ji-soo. After suffering from panic disorder last season and only playing nine games in her recovery, Park has returned to form this season. In 25 games, Park is averaging 21.2 points, 15.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.7 blocks in 30.34 minutes per game. His rebounds and assists are at career highs, 스포츠토토 and he’s a force to be reckoned with.
The lack of ups and downs is also a big plus. Park became the first player in the history of the WKBL to sweep the Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards from the first through fourth rounds. Her experience, combined with her athleticism and sensitivity, has made her an unstoppable player. Woori Bank head coach Lee Sat-woo, one of the most renowned coaches in women’s basketball, said, “You can’t stop (Park) in the normal way anymore. She is more seasoned and has no weaknesses. I’m getting scared of her more and more. She’s like a foreign player of the highest caliber.”
With Park Ji-soo’s support, his teammates were revitalized. Last season, Kookmin Bank finished fifth and missed the playoffs (PO) in Park’s absence. Other key players, such as Kang Yiul and Heo Ye-eun, also fell into a slump. However, this season is different. Kang has regained her three-point shooting touch and continues to provide supportive shooting from the perimeter. Heo Ye-eun is also playing the role of field commander, averaging 6.0 assists per game. He has also shown improvement on offense, averaging 10.8 points per game this season.
Most importantly, the team is confident against their ‘rival’ Woori Bank. Kookmin Bank is 4-1 against Woori Bank this season. They were definitely confident ahead of the POs. While Woori Bank didn’t find a solution to Park Ji-soo, Kookmin took advantage by maximizing her abilities.
After winning the 2021-2022 season, Kookmin Bank is looking to challenge for the title after two years. Led by the returning “Empress” Park Ji-soo, the team is one step closer to regaining the title with a perfect season.