Returning 'Chiax Mountain Tigers' Coach Chang-jin Jeon Roars in Wonju

'Chiaksan Tiger' coach Jeon Chang-jin roared in Wonju after a long time.

Busan KCC defeated Wonju DB 95-81 in the first round of the quarterfinals of the 2023-24 Season Jeonggwanjang Professional Basketball Playoffs held at the Wonju General Gymnasium on the 15th. KCC, which has won four consecutive playoff games, succeeded in defeating the first team.

Coach Jeon Chang-jin, known as the 'Chiaksan Tiger', returned to Wonju. Jeon was the head coach of Wonju TG Sambo and Dongbu from 2002 to 2009. His protégé at the time was Kim Joo-sung.

The master and protégé won numerous championships together. Most of the championship banners hanging in the Wonju General Gymnasium are theirs. Wonju's championships in 2003, 2005, and 2008 were all theirs.

Now, the master and pupil have met in the playoffs as heads of their respective teams. Kim won the regular season title in his first year and reached the quarterfinals as the No. 1 seed. In the quarterfinals, KCC, which had a strong offense, swept SK in three games to meet his protégé.

Ahead of the quarterfinals, head coach Jeon Chang-jin refused to attach any meaning to the past, saying, "Where is there a priest-priest relationship in the pros? I lost to Kang Dong-hee and Kim Seung-ki in the playoffs. The younger coach came first and the older coach came fifth, so there's nothing to say," he laughed.

Jeon Chang-jin, who has been through a lot, was also a seasoned coach. The game plan went according to plan, with 27 points in the first quarter. He didn't panic when Alize Johnson went down with an unexpected injury.

There was also some nervousness between the coaches. When a foul was called on Lawson's blocked shot late in the second quarter, Kim called time and strongly protested. Jeon Chang-jin also appealed to the referee separately. It was clearly a competitive game, and there was no apology.

In the end, the game went the way Jeon wanted it to. Kim Joo-sung's playoff debut ended in a heartbreaking defeat.

After the game, Jeon said, "The game went well as I thought it would. We did a good job defending against Lawson," he said.

Johnson, who sprained his left ankle, is doubtful for Game 2. "It's confusing because he's injured, so we'll see (if he'll play in the second leg)," said Jeon. As for Choi Joon-yong, who was sent off in the big win, Jeon said, "He's upset because he was called for a foul that wasn't a foul."

Coach Kim Joo-sung said, "Albano was caught by Espitola. We made a lot of bad plays. We will fix it in the second game," he vowed.