Professional basketball Samsung, Pajuk’s opening 5 consecutive wins… ‘No. 1 candidate for championship’ DB also defeated

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Ahn Hong-seok = Seoul Samsung, a professional basketball team that was in last place for many years, even defeated Wonju DB, the 'number one candidate for the championship', and ran for its fifth consecutive win in the opening game.

Samsung defeated DB 95-92 in the 2026-2027 KCC professional basketball regular season away game held at DB Promy Arena in Wonju on the 17th.

Samsung, which had not lost once since the opening and won all five games, continued to take the sole lead.

Samsung, which had previously defeated Suwon KT, Anyang, CheongKwanJang, Goyang Sono, and Changwon LG, further intensified its sensation by defeating DB, which was designated as the team with the highest probability of winning by each club's head coach, on the away trip.

Samsung is a ‘last-place team forever’, having stayed at the bottom for five consecutive seasons until last season.

With the victory against LG, Samsung recorded its fourth consecutive win in the opening game in 23 years since the 2003-2004 season. At that time, Samsung continued its winning streak to 6 games, which remains the record for the club's longest winning streak in an opening game.

DB recorded 2 wins and 3 losses, its first consecutive loss of the season.

Samsung was ahead in terms of concentration.

Samsung tied DB's score at 5 in the first four minutes of the third quarter with a 46-45 lead, and ran forward with Lee Kwan-hee's scoring shots both inside and outside and Chris McCullough's exciting dunk, widening the gap to 60-50.

Veteran guard Lee Kwan-hee led the way, scoring 12 points, including two 3-pointers, in the third quarter alone.

DB also had opportunities. DB trailed by 4 points in the 4th quarter thanks to Lee Yong-woo's two 3-pointers and Lee Yu-jin's fast break layup at 1 minute and 20 seconds, and with 10 seconds left, Henry Ellenson's 3 points made it a 3-point gap.

However, with 1 second left, Ethan Albano's 3-pointer missed the rim, giving Samsung the victory.

Kerem Kanter led the way to Samsung's victory by scoring a team-high 27 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.

Lee Kwan-hee's performance also shined, as he scored 19 points and 7 rebounds and scored like a ton of points in every game.

In DB, Ellenson struggled with 29 points and 8 rebounds.

Anyang CheongKwanJang defeated Suwon KT 89-69 at their home, Anyang CheongKwanJang Arena.

The gap between CheongKwanJang and Samsung, who maintained second place (5 wins, 1 loss), is 0.5 games.

Four players, Byun Jun-hyung (18 points), Davon Reed (13 points), Moon Yu-hyeon (13 points), and John Mooney (15 points), scored double-digit scores evenly and combined for victory.

KT Paris Bass' performance of 15 points and 11 rebounds faded in defeat.