SJ Belangel put the team on his back in the final period as the Daegu KOGAS Pegasus managed to hold off the Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus in KBL action.
SJ Belangel roared to life on offense late to help the Daegu KOGAS Pegasus hold off the Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus, 79-77, at the Dongchun Gymnasium in the 2025-26 KBL season on Saturday, Jan. 3.
Belangel scored all but two of Daegu’s 11 points in the fourth quarter, including the basket with 1:26 ticks left to push Daegu’s lead to four, 79-75.
The basket proved crucial to deny Ulsan the comeback after they outscored the Pegasus in the final frame, 19-11.
Belangel had 32 points, five rebounds, and six assists, and was a highly efficient 9-of-10 on two point shots.
He did the heavy lifting in the scoring column, while Ra Gun Ah steadied the ship with his double-double of 16 points and 13 rebounds.
KOGAS ended a two-game slump and improved to 9-19 for the season.
Elsewhere, JD Cagulangan and the Suwon KT Sonicboom drubbed Kevin Quiambao’s Goyang Sono Skygunners, 76-64, at the Goyang Gymnasium.
Cagulangan was quiet on scoring but tried to make the most for his teammates, finishing with two points, six rebounds, and six assists. The win was Suwon's third straight, improving to a 14-14 slate for sixth place.
Quiambao’s productive outing of 17 points, three rebounds, and two assists were not enough as they fell to 10-18 for the season, falling further from Suwon’s rear-view mirror for the last playoff slot.
In the other game, the Seoul SK Knights escaped the Anyang JKJ Red Boosters, 78-74.
Arvin Tolentino played sparingly in Seoul’s victory, while Rhenz Abando had seven points and five rebounds in the loss.
Anyang fell to 18-10 but kept second place, while Seoul improved to 16-12 for fifth.
—
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.