2012.3.16 Weekend Picks

KBL Playoffs

Incheon ET Land Elephants (2-2) at Busan KT Sonicboom (2-2)

Sajik Gymnasium, Busan

Friday, 7 p.m.

The winner of this match will advance to the semifinals of the KBL playoffs to face No. 2 seed Anyang Korea Ginseng Corporation on Sunday.

The Elephants bounced back with a convincing 84-57 victory on Wednesday to level the series. The team will now have to travel to Busan for the final game of the series.

A key to the game is whether shooting guard Moon Tae-jong and center Herbert Hill can keep up the momentum throughout all four quarters.

The Sonicboom hopes shooting guard Cho Sung-min and forward Park Sang-oh, last season’s MVP, will step up in the clutch. Cho and Park combined for a mere six points in Game 4.

KBO Preseason

Daegu Samsung Lions at Seoul LG Twins

Jamsil Baseball Stadium, Seoul

Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m.

The KBO preseason will kick off this weekend and will run through April 1, six days before the new season officially begins.

Each team will play 14 games, each starting at 1 p.m. Preseason matchups will take place on every day except Mondays and are free to attend.

In Seoul, the defending champion Lions begin their action against the Twins, who are trying to overcome off-field distractions after their two starting pitchers were expelled from the team for a match-fixing scandal that rocked the league.

The Lions still have a strong bullpen and added lefty slugger Lee Seung-yeop to boost their offense. Twins’ new manager Kim Ki-tae will face a tough first test against the Lions.

Handball Korea League

All-Star Game

SK Handball Stadium, Seoul

Saturday, 2 p.m.

This year’s All-Star game will include three special matches that will involve former star players and current coaches.

In the first stage, former men’s national team coaches will play against retired women’s national team star players who shined during the 1984 and 1996 Olympics. The following matches will include the women’s All-Star team versus current coaches and two teams comprised of men’s All-Star players.