Sakers Begin to Mount Comeback
By Yoon Chul
Staff Reporter
The cornered LG Sakers defeated the Samsung Thunders 85-81 in overtime to make the Korean Basketball League (KBL) play-off series 2-1 in Changwon on Tuesday.
In the do-or-die match, American forward Ivan Johnson scored four points and dished out three assists, and guard Chun Hyung-soo added five in extra time for the Sakers.
Game 4 of the best-of-five series will be played, Thursday, at the same venue.
With the Thunders imports Terrence Leather and Aaron Heinz getting into early trouble through fouls in the first quarter, the home team took a 23-17 lead largely through Johnson, who poured in 14 points during the first half of the game.
However, the Seoul-based Thunders rebounded in the next quarter as No. 1 scoring machine Leather earned 11 points to move his team within one point of the Sakers at 38-37 at half time.
In the second half, the visiting Thunders took over the game, racing to a nine-point lead midway through the final quarter.
However, the Sakers kept chasing down the fourth-ranked Thunders. Center Brandon Crump put in a good performance for the first time in the play-off series with 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Cho Sang-hyun and Ki Seung-ho shook the Thunders defense with three-pointers.
The Sakers trailed 71-70 with four seconds remaining, and Crump, who shot a 42.9-percent success rate from the free throw line during the season, was awarded two free throws, but converted only one.