The Korean Baseball League tonight will begin the second round of the playoffs, with the Ulsan Mobis set to take on the Samsung Thunders. The Dongbu Promy and the KCC Egis will face off tomorrow night.

The following is Samsung Coach Ahn Joon-ho’s tips on to enjoy the games.

○ Premium Leather

Samsung depends so much on Terrence Leather, who averages 30 points per game, the team is nicknamed the “Samsung Leathers.” For Ulsan to beat Samsung, shutting down Leather is the key.

Mobis Coach Yoo Jae-hak said, “We can win only when we can thoroughly block other players even if we allow Leather to score.”

Samsung swept the LG Sakers in three games in the first round, as Lee Kyu-sup averaged more than 20 points.

○ Veterans

Ahn described his team’s upcoming series versus regular-season champion Mobis a “grand challenge.” Samsung is betting on the ample experience of veteran players, including Lee Sang-min, Lee Kyu-sup, Kang Hyuk and Lee Jung-suk.

In the 2006 championship series, Samsung swept Ulsan in four games to claim the league crown, and the Thunders boast experienced and tall veterans. Ahn picked Kang as a player with strong potential in the upcoming series.

○ Close relations between coaches

KCC Coach Huh Jae and Dongbu Coach Jun Chang-jin, who is two years younger than Huh, have been close friends since elementary school. Dongbu center Kim Joo-sung burst into tears when then Wonju TG Xers teammate Huh retired, saying, “I feel very sorry that I failed to give Huh the gift of victory.” The situation is completely different, as Huh as KCC coach will face Kim following a tough series victory over the ET Land Black Slamer.

○ Fast improvement

KCC center Ha Seung-jin, the league’s tallest player at 7-feet-4, has rapidly developed. After winning over ET Land’s veteran center Seo Jang-hoon in the first round, Ha will face two-time league MVP Kim in the second.

“We’ve faced one strong opponent after another, but I really want to win without fail,” Ha said confidently.

The imposition of stricter foul calls for the playoffs also bodes well for the giant.

○ Troublesome games

The first round of the playoffs saw violent play, an intense war of nerves and annoyed basketball fans. Fans can watch the first and second of the games of the second round via Web cast only due to problems with TV broadcasters.


source: donga.com
credits: aeinsshi