KBL Finals Series Preview: Suwon KT Sonicboom vs. Busan KCC Egis

Underdogs advanced to the EASL 2024-25 Season, but who will take home the KBL crown?

April 27, 2024 – Suwon, South Korea

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Storylines:

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Heo brothers face off

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It is a proud moment in the Heo family as two brothers, Heo Ung and Heo Hoon, will match up in the 2024 KBL Finals.

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Older brother Heo Ung has been one of the best players for the Busan KCC Egis this season, averaging 15.9 points per game while hitting 2.5 threes per game this season. The 6-foot-1 guard was voted KBL Best 5 back in 2020.

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His younger brother Heo Hoon is not to be overlooked. The Suwon KT Sonicboom guard was the 2022 KBL MVP, averaging 14.9 points per game this season. Heo Hoon missed 18 games with various injuries in the regular season, but he is back strong, scoring 14.2 points in nine playoff appearances.

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Battle of the bigs

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A massive import battle is about to go down as the league’s leading scorer, KT’s Paris Bass, will duel against KCC’s big man Ra Gun-Ah.

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Bass has been lethal in scoring all season, leading the league by averaging 25.4 points in 54 regular season games. The 6-foot-8 forward has a great all-around game, chiming in with 10.9 rebounds, 4.6 assist and 1.8 steals over the season.

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Ra will bring his championship pedigree to KCC. A four-time KBL champion and three-time KBL Best Import, the naturalized South Korean averaged 23.3 points in the playoffs.

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Offense vs. offense

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KBL fans are sure to see a lot of firepower in this series, as both finalists are top three in scoring during the regular season.

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Busan KCC Egis are second in the league averaging 88.6 points per game. Five of their players averaged in double-figures in points this season, with Heo Ung leading the way with 15.9 points per game.

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Suwon KT Sonicboom are third in scoring this season, averaging 86.6 points per game in the regular season. Headed by Bass’s league-leading 25.4 points per game, Ha Yun-Gi has also been dominant in the interior, averaging 15.2 points per game in the regular season.

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Players to Watch

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Suwon KT Sonicboom

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#35 Paris Bass – PF

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USA NCAA Division 1: Detroit Mercy (2014-16)
- First-team All-Horizon League (2016)
- Horizon League Freshman of the Year (2015)
- Horizon League All-Freshman Team (2015)
Former NBA player (Phoenix Suns)
- NBA career stats: 2 games – 3.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg
Former NBA D League player (Erie BayHawks, South Bay Lakers, Salt Lake City Stars, Wisonsin Herd)
South Korea: KBL
- 2024 KBL Regular Season Leading Scorer (25.4 ppg)
2023-24 KBL regular season stats:
- 25.4 ppg, 10.9 rpg, 4.6 apg

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#2 Heo Hoon – PG

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University: South Korea: Yonsei University
- 2016 MBC Cup Champion
- 2017 Team Captain
- 2017 KUSF U-League Champion
- 2017 KUSF U-League Champion MVP
South Korea: KBL
- 2017 KBL Draft: 1^st overall pick (Busan KT Sonicboom)
- 2020 KBL Most Valuable Player
- 2x KBL Best 5 (2020, 2021)
South Korea National Basketball Teamsome text
- 2018 Asian Games (Bronze)
2023-24 KBL regular season stats:some text
- 15.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 3.6 apg

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#10 Moon Seong-Gon – F

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University: South Korea: Korea University
- 2015 MBC Cup Champion
- 2015 KUSF U-League Regular Season Champion
- 2015 KUSF U-League Regular Season MVP
- 2015 KUSF U-League Champion
South Korea: KBL
- 2015 KBL Draft: 1^st overall pick (Anyang KGC)
- 3x KBL Champion (2017, 2021, 2023)
- 2x KBL Defensive Player of the Year (2020, 2021)
- 2023 EASL Champions Week Champion
South Korea National Basketball Team
- 2013 FIBA Asia Cup (Bronze)
2023-24 KBL regular season stats:
- 5.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.7 spg

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Busan KCC Egis

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#20 Ra Gun-Ah – C

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USA NCAA Division I: Missouri (2010-12)
- Second-team All-Big 12 (2012)
- Big 12 Newcomer of the Year (2011)
South Korea: KBL (Ulsan Mobis Phoebus - 2012-15, 2018-20; Seoul Samsung Thunder – 2015-17; Busan KCC Egis – 2020-present)
- 4x KBL Champion (Ulsan Mobis Phoebus - 2013-15, 2019)
- 3x KBL All-Star (2016, 2017, 2019)
- 3× KBL Player of the Year (2015, 2017, 2019)
- KBL Defensive Player of the Year (2015)
South Korea National Basketball Team
- 2018 Asian Games (Bronze)
- 2014 William Jones Cup (Gold)
- 2018 William Jones Cup (Bronze)
2023-24 KBL regular season stats:
- 15.6 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 1.3 apg

#3 Heo Ung – SG

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University: South Korea: Yonsei University
South Korea: KBL
- 2014 KBL Draft: 4^th overall pick (Wonju DB Promy)
- 2016 KBL Most Improved Player
- 2022 KBL Best 5
South Korea National Basketball Team
- 2018 Asian Games (Bronze)
- 2017 FIBA Asia Cup (Bronze)
- 2016 William Jones Cup (Silver)
- 2017 William Jones Cup (Bronze)
- 2018 William Jones Cup (Bronze)
2023-24 KBL regular season stats:
- 15.9 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 3.7 apg

#2 Choi Jun-Yong – G

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University: Yonsei University
- Korea: 2^nd in KUSF Scoring (2017)
South Korea: KBL
- 2016 KBL Draft: 2^nd overall pick (Seoul SK Knights)
- Korea: 2x KBL Champion (Seoul SK Knights: 2018, 2022)
- 2022 KBL Most Valuable Player
South Korea National Basketball Team
- 2018 Asian Games (Bronze)
- 2017 FIBA Asia Cup (Bronze)
2023-24 KBL regular season stats:
- 14.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 4.1 apg

By the Numbers

Suwon KT Sonicboom

Team History:
- Founded: 1997
- 2006-07 KBL Championships runners-up
- 2011 KBL regular season champions
2023 KBL season team stats:
- Points: 86.6 ppg
- Field Goal %: 46.6%
- Free Throw %: 68.7%
- Rebounds: 36.9 rpg
- Assists: 19.6 apg
- Turnovers: 10.8 tpg
- Steals: 8.1 spg
- Blocks: 2.3 bpg
2023-24 KBL season stat leaders:

Points: Paris Bass – 25.4 ppg
Rebounds: Paris Bass – 10.9 rpg
Assists: Jeong Seong-Woo – 4.7 apg
Steals: Paris Bass – 1.8 spg
Blocks: Paris Bass – 0.6 bpg

Busan KCC Egis

Team History:some text
- Founded: 1977
- 5x KBL champions (1998, 1999, 2004, 2009, 2011)
- 5x KBL regular season champions (1998, 1999, 2000, 2016, 2021)
- 2023 KBL Cup champions
- 2017 Singapore Merlion Cup (Third Place)
2023 KBL season team stats:some text
- Points: 88.6 ppg
- Field Goal %: 47.3%
- Free Throw %: 75.4%
- Rebounds: 36.9 rpg
- Assists: 19.2 apg
- Turnovers: 9.8 tpg
- Steals: 4.5 spg
- Blocks: 2.4 bpg
2023-24 KBL season stat leaders:

Points: Heo Ung – 15.9 ppg
Rebounds: Alize Johnson – 9.8 rpg
Assists: Choi Jun-Yong – 4.1 apg
Steals: Alize Johnson – 0.7 spg
Blocks: Choi Jun-Yong – 1.1 bpg

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Game Schedule

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Game 1: Home: Suwon KT Sonicboom; Away: Busan KCC Egis - Saturday, April 27

Game 2: Home: Suwon KT Sonicboom; Away: Busan KCC Egis - Monday, April 29

Game 3: Home: Busan KCC Egis; Away: Suwon KT Sonicboom - Wednesday, May 1

Game 4: Home: Busan KCC Egis; Away: Suwon KT Sonicboom - Friday, May 3

Game 5: Home: Suwon KT Sonicboom; Away: Busan KCC Egis - Sunday, May 5*

Game 6: Home: Busan KCC Egis; Away: Suwon KT Sonicboom - Tuesday, May 7*

Game 7: Home: Suwon KT Sonicboom; Away: Busan KCC Egis - Thursday, May 9*

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*if necessary