The newly renamed Anyang Jungkwanjang Red Boosters lost their first game.
The team lost 74-89 in the season opener of the 2023-24 Jung Kwan-jang Pro Basketball Seoul SK on Nov. 21 at Anyang Indoor Gymnasium.
Daryl Monroe had 21 points, six rebounds, and two assists, DuVan Maxwell had 10 points and nine rebounds, and Lens Abando had 12 points and five rebounds, but the Boosters failed to meet the Jamil Warney mark and dropped their first game of the season.
It was good until midway through the fourth quarter. Jung Kwan-jang, who was not ranked in the top six in the pre-season assessment, was expected to have a tough time against SK, one of the favorites to win the title, but they kept it close until midway through the fourth quarter before losing.
Monroe did well against Warne. Monroe, who was inserted into the starting lineup in the absence of No. 1 option Omari Spellman, made 8 of 12 two-pointers and knocked down one of two three-pointers. He shot a whopping 64% from the field.
He was able to pile up points by hitting jumpers and finishing off defensive breaks, and his control tower role in the high post and on the perimeter was just as good. While her rebounding numbers were disappointing, her performance was a bright spot for the current lineup, which lacks a scorer.
Monroe’s presence also had a knock-on effect of opening up the low post for native insiders Lee Jong-hyun and Kim Kyung-won. They combined for 15 points and added 10 rebounds and two assists. These were encouraging numbers for an offense that has been struggling in the absence of Oh.
Until Spellman returns to full health, Monroe’s performance will need to continue.굿모닝토토 도메인
Abando was a disappointment. He finished with 12 points and five rebounds, but shot a dismal 36% from the field. Of his 10 two-point attempts, five cracked the rim, and all four of his three-pointers missed the mark. While he used his momentum to create highlights on defense, he was inefficient on offense.
With one season of KBL experience under his belt, Abando has his work cut out for him this season. The team lacks a scorer. In addition to Spellman, players like Byun Jun-hyung and Oh Se-geun are absent, and Abando will have to step up to the plate.
Newcomer Jeong Hyo-geun has yet to prove himself as a scorer. Park Ji-hoon and Choi Sung-won are also not scorers.
After the game, coach Kim Sang-sik said, “We are working hard. I think they’re greedy because they’ve been playing a lot. We need to play them more, but they seem to be struggling. He definitely needs to score some goals.” With Chung’s squad lacking a native scorer, Abando’s task seems very clear.
This is a rebuilding or retooling season. Monroe confirmed. Abando needs to step up.
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