Anyang KGC Ginseng Corporation won the Korean Professional Basketball (KBL) regular league championship in the 2022-2023 season. Coach Kim Sang-sik, who took the baton from this season, has been reborn as a true ‘master’ who won the championship in his first year in office. 

Ginseng Corporation underwent a big change ahead of this season. Ginseng Corp.,메이저사이트 which had a lot of regret about losing to Seoul SK in last season’s championship game, left for Carrot, Goyang, with coach Kim Seung-gi, who had led the team for over seven years, and Jeon Seong-hyun, the best shooter in the league. Coach Kim Sang-sik, who served as the national team’s command tower, took over the helm, but there was little observation that Ginseng Corporation, which underwent major changes along with power loss, would become the absolute strongest this season.

However, the result was a league ‘champion’. Centered on coach Kim Sang-shik’s ‘gentle leadership’, Ginseng Corporation completed its unique ‘organized and organic basketball’.

Ginseng Corporation won 76-71 in Wonju DB, the last home game of the 2022-2023 SKT Adot Pro Basketball regular league held at Anyang Indoor Gymnasium on the 26th. On this day, before the game, Ginseng Corporation confirmed the championship. In the previous match between Changwon LG and Seoul SK, SK won and took first place in the regular league regardless of the remaining games.

It is the first time in six years since the 2016-2017 season that Ginseng Corporation has won the regular league championship. This championship was the first in the team’s founding and the third in KBL’s career, and it also set a record of winning the ‘Wire to Wire’ regular league, which never came down from first place during the season.

The following is a Q&A with Kim Sang-sik, director of Ginseng Corporation.

– The feeling of winning.

I am so happy. I would like to thank the players, the coaches and everyone at the club who have supported me so much. Above all, the players suffered a lot. I want to say that I really struggled through this place.

-When did you foresee first place in the regular league?

When I started winning 4 games in a row, I thought, ‘This will work’. And when the mid-season passed, the players’ confidence increased as they caught SK. The moment I said let’s win, it seemed like it would work with good results. As Jeon Seong-hyun transferred, there was a shooter absence. I thought it would be okay if the other players distributed the scores, so I prepared an attack using Bae Byung-Jun and Jung Jun-Won. Of course, the players must have been confused as well. Still, as the season progressed, my hands and feet got along well and my confidence increased.

– What is the driving force behind the 1st place in the regular league?

It’s a bit abstract, but I think it’s teamwork. As a leader, I have changed my thinking. I thought it would be better to praise the players and tell them they were okay rather than slamming them. It was possible to set the mood for the team because of the coaches and (Yang) Hee-jong. As a result, a bond was formed and we came to trust each other. It is an important part outside of performance. Even when there was a back-to-back schedule or a two or three day rest period, the amount of training was reduced. It was okay because the off-season training intensity was high, and I tried to guarantee rest as much as I trained. As the players got used to preparing themselves, they were able to maintain a good atmosphere.

 Yang Hee-jong was put in at the last moment.

I thought that the players who led Ginseng Corporation to the top should stand on the court at the last moment. So Heejong was put in last. Even if it was a close match, he would have put it unconditionally. I also had a retirement ceremony here, so I know how it feels. Isn’t Heejong a team legend? He thought it was something I had to do.

– How do you plan to prepare for the playoffs?

Since the preparation period is long, I plan to prevent injuries and deterioration of performance as much as possible. I will discuss with the coaches and find out what is a good method.

-How much help did the coaches have for the regular league ranking?

really helped me a lot Coach Seong-Min Cho and coach Seung-Tae Choi are not very different in age from Hee-Jong. Maybe that’s why communication went well, and the relationship with the team was also good. Whenever there was a difficult moment while directing, he really helped me a lot by the side. It is the result of their good work. proud. I want to say carefully that Heejong will become a good leader in the future.

– Who do you think is the MVP of the regular season?

(Oh) Se-geun can receive it, and I think (Byeon) Jun-hyung did well too. Isn’t it Junhyung (laughs)? In the process of winning Wire to Wire, he was the most active and played a central role. We are the number one team, and Junhyung was at the center of it. Even if he wasn’t my player, I would have thought that Junhyung was the MVP. I think it should be done again.

– 1st place in the regular league, and went directly to the playoffs for the quarterfinals. Challenge the unified championship in 6 years. exit ticket.

I will not be satisfied with first place in the regular league. To prove it for sure, you have to win the unification. Only then can they be recognized as a strong team. I want to give my players confidence. The opponent has not been decided yet, but I will discuss with the coaches and prepare to go in a better direction.