Defending KBL champions Changwon LG Sakers fell at the hands of Rhenz Abando and the Anyang JKJ Red Boosters.
Rhenz Abando came out on top in a battle of Filipino reinforcements at the Korean Basketball League as the Anyang JKJ Red Boosters beat KBL defending champions Changwon LG Sakers, 70-62, at the Changwon Gymnasium on Wednesday.
Despite a flat fourth quarter where Anyang scored only eight points, Abando and company were able to hold off Carl Tamayo and the rest of the LG Sakers to hang on for the victory which propelled them to 4-2 for the season.
Anyang jumped the gun on the Changwon in the first quarter where they built a double-digit lead, 25-12, at the end of the opening frame.
Abando and Tamayo were the top scorers for their respective teams — showing the caliber of Filipino imports in the league.
Abando was highly efficient from the field, finishing with 18 markers on 8-of-10 shooting from the field. He also had two rebounds and one assist.
Meanwhile, Tamayo led all scorers with 19 points in the losing effort.
However, it was a struggle for him in terms of efficiency — going 8-for-18 from the field. He added two rebounds and two assists.
Abando had support from the rest of his team, led by Seung-Hui Han with 16 points.
After the loss, Changwon slide to 3-2 in the year and are currently 4th in the standings. Anyang are at 3rd after six games in the year.
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Luisa Morales is a sports writer with a special interest in promoting women’s sports.
Her coverage highlights include the UAAP, PVL, Southeast Asian Games, and the FIBA World Cup. She also follows Alex Eala, the Philippine women’s national football team, and mixed martial arts.