KCC wins fifth S. Korean basketball championship

SEOUL, April 26 (Yonhap) -- KCC Egis captured the championship in the top South Korean men's basketball league Tuesday, defeating Dongbu Promy 79-77 to take the Korean Basketball League (KBL) finals in six games.
Guard Kang Byung-hyun drained a three-point shot with 35 seconds left to make it 78-77 for KCC. After Park Ji-hyun missed a three-pointer for Dongbu on the other end, KCC's Lim Jae-hyun made one of two free throws for the final margin.
Kim Bong-soo missed another three-point attempt for Dongbu with 11 seconds remaining.
KCC center Ha Seung-jin was voted the most valuable player of the finals after averaging 16.8 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. The 221-centimeter center, who once played for the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association (NBA), had 22 points and nine rebounds on Tuesday.
This was the league-high fifth championship for KCC, and its second in the past three seasons. Dongbu last won the title in 2008.
The Egis trailed 40-30 at half time, but Kang, Lim, and Chris Daniels, one of the team's two imports, made consecutive baskets to take a 47-46 lead halfway through the third quarter.
Two key Dongbu players fouled out in the fourth quarter. Victor Thomas committed his fifth foul with about six minutes to go, and Kim Joo-sung, former finals MVP for Dongbu, had his fifth foul with 1:45 to go and the score tied at 71-71.
Dongbu looked to be in command on a three-pointer by Park and then a three-point play by Yoon Ho-young that made it 77-75.
Thomas paced Dongbu's offense with 23 points and nine boards. Kim had 16 points and 10 rebounds in a losing cause.
Daniels had 25 points and 10 boards for KCC. The team's captain, Choo Seung-gyun, became the first player in the KBL's 14-year history to win five championships.
This year's finals also drew interest for the head coaching matchup. KCC's Huh Jae and Dongbu's Kang Dong-hee are considered among the greatest South Korean basketball players ever. They were backcourt mates for the dominant Kia Motors semi-pro team that won seven national titles in an eight-year span before the KBL was founded.
Huh has two championship rings as head coach. Kang failed to win one in his first finals appearance.
The KBL is made up of 10 teams, most of them owned by local companies. KCC is based in Jeonju, about 240 kilometers south of Seoul, and Dongbu in Wonju, about 130??? east of Seoul.
In the best-of-seven KBL finals, the last three games, if necessary, are played in Seoul to ensure a better turnout and more national exposure.
jeeho@yna.co.kr