Omari Spellman (26, KGC Ginseng Corporation) was cited as the biggest variable in the playoffs last season. This is because he left at the end of the season due to a knee injury and returned during the playoffs. Spellman, a foreign ace who can make a team’s performance different depending on whether he participates or not, returned to the court in the first round of the championship match.
It wasn’t like before. While resting due to an injury, he gained a lot of weight and slowed his movements. He played completely out of shape. Spellman, who scored 20.2 points in an average of 31 minutes and 22 seconds in the regular season, only scored 13.4 points while playing in an average of 25 minutes and 12 seconds in the championship match held until the 5th game. In Game 3, where Spellman scored the most with 21 points, Anyang KGC won the only victory. In the 5th game, which was driven just before giving up the championship with 1 win and 4 losses, the 4th quarter spell man stepped back to the bench and threw a towel over his face and cried.
Spellman re-signed. KGC is currently ranked #1. There is a team that Spellman calls ‘Rivals’. It is Seoul SK, the opponent in the championship match last season.
The match between KGC and SK held on the 8th was an important match that would determine the direction of the regular league lead fight that had just passed the middle. This is because KGC, which had dominated at the beginning of the season, and SK, which started sluggishly at the bottom of the first round, soon followed and narrowed the gap to 3 games and competed for 1st and 2nd place. KGC, who was on the verge of being chased by 2 games if they lost, ran away with 4 games by taking the close match with their last concentration. 토토사이트
Spellman, who scored 29 points and grabbed 17 rebounds, said after the game, “I am satisfied with beating rival SK in an important game.” When asked, “Have you always considered SK as a rival since the beginning of the season?”, he said, “Even in the beginning, I thought SK was a strong team. Last season’s MVP Choi Jun-yong was missing, so I thought it was a strong team that would recover when he returned.” said.
KGC had a significant power leak during the off-season when Jeon Seong-hyun, a strong shooter, was transferred. However, since the opening of this season, centered on Byun Jun-hyung and veteran Oh Se-geun, who have grown to the top by performing on a big stage in the past few years, they have been steadily maintaining their first place. Spellman’s performance is the biggest driving force. Spellman, who made up his mind based on his experience at the end of last season, averaged 19.1 points and 9.8 rebounds this season, and is still competing with Jamil Warney (SK) as the best foreign player.
Spellman said, “Warney and I are friends. However, the loss in the championship match last season is a huge motivation for me. So whenever we meet, it seems that we can compete with each other by bumping into each other the best we can. I think that’s why I was able to play a more interesting game today.”
Half of the season remains. The competition continues. The memory of the defeat, which was even more bitter because he couldn’t play properly, is boosting Spellman’s fighting spirit this season.