▲ Ellenson driving to the basket
Top championship favorite Wonju DB emerged victorious in its first showdown of the season against defending champion Busan KCC.
DB secured an 85–79 away victory in the 2026–2027 KCC Professional Basketball regular season game held at Busan Sajik Gymnasium.
DB, tipped as a strong title contender, improved to 2 wins and 1 loss, while last season's championship winner KCC moved to 2 wins and 2 losses.
It was also the first matchup of the season between the two head coaches, who share a deep history together after combining to win a championship for KCC as manager and coach.
KCC Head Coach Lee Sang-min and DB Head Coach Lee Kyu-sub played together on the court for the Seoul Samsung Thunders from 2007 to 2010, and later served together at Samsung as head coach (Lee Sang-min) and coach (Lee Kyu-sub) from 2014 to 2022.
After working as a TV commentator for a period, Coach Lee Kyu-sub joined KCC last season—where Lee Sang-min was serving as a coach—to help lead the team to a championship victory.
Ahead of this season, he took the helm at DB.
DB seized the lead at 18–15 late in the first quarter thanks to a three-pointer by Lee Yong-woo and never relinquished it for the rest of the game.
Even in the third quarter, when KCC's primary scorer Louis King—who had been kept in check by tight defense throughout the first half—began to find his scoring rhythm, DB maintained its upper hand.
DB's triangular trio of Henry Ellenson, Ethan Albano, and Rayshaun Hammonds combined for 18 points in the third quarter alone, dominating both inside and outside.
Despite losing King to a five-foul disqualification in the fourth quarter, KCC continued to chase the score behind Shawn Long, narrowing the deficit to 5 points midway through the period.
However, blocked by DB's resilient defense, they could get no closer.
With 1 minute and 50 seconds remaining, Long drove into the paint, committed a foul against Ellenson, and also fouled out with five personal fouls, tilting the scale decisively in DB's favor.
Ellenson led the victory by pouring in a game-high 24 points and grabbing 8 rebounds.
Hammonds contributed 18 points, and Albano added 11.
Lee Yong-woo also shone with a 12-point performance.
KCC fell short in the battle of foreign players.
Heo Hoon put up a gritty fight with 22 points and 10 assists.
(Photo provided by KBL, Yonhap News)
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