Seoul Samsung Thunders Extend Winning Streak to Three Games with Dramatic Win Over Goyang Sono

Seoul Samsung secured an 82-81 comeback victory against Goyang Sono at Jamsil Student Gymnasium, extending their winning streak to three games and setting a 23-year franchise milestone, as reported by sportschosun.com. The dramatic finish came courtesy of a game-winning three-pointer by Kerem Kanter with just 4.6 seconds remaining on the clock. With the result, Samsung captured their third win to start the 2026–2027 KCC Professional Basketball season, marking their best opening run since the 2003–2004 campaign when they opened with six straight victories.

Early Contrasts and High-Scoring Quarters at Jamsil Student Gymnasium

The clash brought together two of the league’s most talked-about early-season storylines. Meanwhile, Seoul Samsung stepped onto the floor under the guidance of newly appointed head coach Kim Sang-sik, aiming to shed their long-standing struggles at the bottom of the standings. The opening quarter highlighted a clear tactical divide between the two sides. Sono leaned heavily on their perimeter shooting, while Samsung targeted the interior through aggressive post play. Foreign forward Kerem Kanter anchored Samsung’s early efforts inside by converting consecutive scoring plays with additional free throws, pushing his side to a double-digit lead at one stage. Sono answered back through Kevin Kimbaw, who netted three triples in the opening period alone, before Scotty James sank a buzzer-beating three-pointer to close the quarter with Samsung holding a narrow 27-25 advantage.

Fourth-Quarter Surge and Kanter’s Last-Second Heroics

Scoring remained tightly contested through the second period as Samsung briefly extended their margin to 35-28 before Sono responded with long-range strikes from Lee Jae-do, James, and Johnny O’Bryant. The teams traded blows into halftime with Samsung maintaining a slim 43-41 edge. The momentum shifted decisively in the third quarter when James connected from beyond the arc to put Sono ahead 52-49 with 6 minutes and 44 seconds remaining in the frame. Capitalizing on their lead, Sono surged forward as James added another three-pointer and a subsequent three-point play to stretch the margin to double digits at 68-57. Samsung refused to fold, orchestrating a furious rally in the final period. Justin Gutang, Lee Gyu-tae, and Lee Geun-hwi fired off a sequence of three-pointers to narrow the gap before Gutang tied the game at 76-76 with a driving layup with 4 minutes and 6 seconds left. Trailing late, Samsung drew up a final play following a timeout. Kanter, who had missed all six of his three-point attempts earlier in the game, caught a pass and sank the decisive perimeter shot with 4.6 seconds left to seal the 82-81 victory.

Standings Implications Across the League

The dramatic victory elevates Samsung’s early standing as they build on a 3-0 start that surpasses any opening stretch the club has managed in over two decades. In a simultaneous fixture at Anyang Jeonggwanjang Arena, Anyang Jeonggwanjang secured an 88-65 dominant victory over Changwon LG in a meeting between two early-place contenders. The win lifts Jeonggwanjang’s record to three wins and one loss on the young season, keeping pace near the top of the KCC Professional Basketball table as the league enters its second week of competition.