2012.2.3 Weekend Picks

V-League

* Daejeon Samsung Fire Bluefangs (20-3) at Incheon Korean Air Jumbos (18-6)

* Dowon Gymnasium, Incheon

* Sunday, 2 p.m.

This will be the biggest game in the V-League for this month as league No.1 Bluefangs will travel runner-up Jumbos to secure the lead.

Two teams have closely matched up throughout the season. Both have leveled their last four encounters, with all matches going through full five sets.

Bluefangs are especially looking for revenge against Jumbos. The team has lost last two matches against Jumbos who is currently on 12-game winning streak.

The Bluefangs have league’s best foreign attacker Gavin Schmitt with libero Yeo Oh-hyun and left Seok Jin-wook takes stable defense on the court.

But the team¡?s performance will be better if attacker Park Chul-woo, who has been showing less-than-average performance recently, finds his rhythm and set up attacking duo with Schmitt. Park has scored only five points against Jumbos in their last meeting on Jan. 24.

The Jumbos, like they did in the past, will shake Bluefangs¡? defense from the first place with their powerful serves. The Jumbos has the league’s best server Slovakian international Martin Nemec who has scored 52 points in 21 matches only with serves so far.

The team also has national team setter Han Sun-soo and attacker Kim Hak-min who are also placed in the top-10 list of serves.

WKBL

* Yongin Samsung Life Bichumi (15-14) at Ansan Shinhan Bank S-birds (22-6)

* Wadong Gymnasium, Ansan, Gyeonoggi

* Sunday, 5 p.m.

About 11 games left to end the WKBL regular season, Bichumi faces league dominant S-birds to secure their third place in the table.

With S-birds and Guri KDB Life Insurance Winnus likely to clinch the no.1 and 2 position, Bichumi is currently chased by Cheongju KB Stars for third place. The Stars are only one game behind Bichumi.

Confirming third place is important because it will avoid to meet S-birds who is looking for sixth consecutive WKBL crown, in the playoffs.

The Bichumi has lost point guard Lee Mi-sun, who is leader in assist and steals, due to ankle injury while shooting guard Park Jung-eun also suffered wrist injury in the weekend. The team has to rely on center Kim Kye-reong and naturalized Korean guard Kimberly Roberson for their offense.

The S-birds have lost last two games, but the team has dominant head-to-head record against Bichumi in this season, winning four game, while losing only one.

Center Kang Young-sook, last season’s MVP, and forward Kim Dan-bi will lead S-birds offense. The team is scoring 76.5 points per game, No.1 in the league.

Two teams will face again four days later after this match.