Key players who had been sidelined by injuries returned at the same time, and the foreign ace dominated the court.
Busan KCC defeated Goyang Sono 96-90 in a 2025-2026 LG Electronics professional basketball regular-season home game held at Busan Sajik Gymnasium on the 12th.
With this win, KCC snapped a six-game losing streak, improving to 17-14 on the season and holding fifth place. The gap with fourth-place Seoul SK narrowed to half a game.
Meanwhile, Sono fell to a two-game losing streak and remained in seventh place at 11-20. This loss also stalled their chase of the middle ranks. With the return of its players, KCC began to catch its breath again. It was a game that changed the mood, carrying significance beyond merely breaking the losing streak.
The significance was more than a simple win. Key players who had been sidelined by injuries returned at the same time, and their play had recovered as well. Heo Ung and Song Kyo-chang each played their first game of 2026 and had 14 points apiece through the end of the third quarter.
Most encouraging was that their feel for the court came back quickly.
Heo Ung had been out since the Dec. 31 game against Wonju DB due to a heel injury, and Song Kyo-chang underwent a long rehabilitation after an ankle injury sustained in the Nov. 20 game against Sono.
The absence had been long, but their return was impressive. Heo Ung announced his comeback by hitting two 3-pointers in the first quarter alone, and Song Kyo-chang also added five points to show his presence.
And at the center of the game that day was Shawn Long. Long had 34 points, 16 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals through the end of the third quarter, completely controlling the paint.
He showed monstrous power by scoring 23 points in the first half alone and lifted the mood with successive dunks. Fueled by his performance, KCC led 22-14 after the first quarter and maintained a 47-38 lead at halftime.
In the second half, it was Song Kyo-chang's time. At the start of the third quarter he hit three consecutive 3-pointers to widen the margin. Heo Ung also added momentum with drives and midrange shots. With Long's firepower still hot, KCC finished the third quarter up 77-63.
Through the middle of the fourth quarter, momentum was still with KCC. Choi Jin-kwang's 3-pointer and Yoon Ki-chan's outside shot both hit the rim, and with about five minutes remaining they led 89-76. With 3:37 left, Long's and-one made it 92-81, and it seemed the game was tilting their way.
But complacency was dangerous. Sono's pursuit was fierce. With 59.3 seconds left, they allowed a 3-pointer to Lee Jung-hyun and were chased to 94-89. After ensuing free throws it was 94-90. But the last play belonged to Long. With 35.9 seconds remaining he laid in a put-back dunk to seal the result.
Meanwhile, at the same time Daegu Korea Gas Corporation Pegasus beat Changwon LG Sakers 80-72 in a game held at Daegu Gymnasium. Korea Gas Corporation (KOGAS), now on a two-game winning streak, moved to 11-20, while LG remained first at 22-9.
That day KOGAS took advantage of the opponent's foreigner Asem Marei being ejected in the second quarter of the first half after a technical foul to secure a valuable win.
[Photo] Busan=Lee Sir-goo, reporter
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