KBL defending champions Changwon LG Sakers bounced back from their weekend loss to Suwon with a convincing victory over the skidding Seoul Samsung Thunders.
Carl Tamayo did the heavy lifting for the Changwon LG Sakers in a bounce-back win, beating the skidding Seoul Samsung Thunders, 83-70, in the KBL regular season at the Changwon Gymnasium on Wednesday night.
Tamayo had 31 points, six shy of his career-high, in 32 minutes of play to help Changwon survive a 40-point outburst from Kerem Kanter, the younger brother of former NBA player Enes.
Tamayo’s steady offense helped seal the win for Changwon, who won all four quarters against Samsung. The Thunders have now lost eight games in a row and are now scrapping the barrel with a 9-20 slate along with the Daegu KOGAS Pegasus.
Changwon, meanwhile, stay pace setters of the league standings with their 21-8 record. They’ve won three of their last four games.
But scoring wasn’t the only strong suit for Tamayo, as he also finished with five rebounds and one steal in the victory.
Assem Marei played supporting role with his double double of 13 points and 16 rebounds. He also had four assists and one steal.
Seoul’s Filipino reinforcement Justin Gutang struggled as his team continued to spiral down the standings with just three points in over 28 minutes of play. He also had two rebounds and five assists.
Kanter was the lone bright spot — and the only player in double figures — as he also finished with 13 rebounds, four assists, and one steal.
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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.