Abando’s Anyang slips past Belangel’s Daegu in KBL

MANILA, Philippines – Rhenz Abando’s Anyang KGC maintained their hot start in the Korean Basketball League as they zoomed to their eighth win in nine games after repulsing SJ Belangel’s Daegu KOGAS Pegasus, 73-72, on Saturday, November 5 at the Anyang Gymnasium.

The league-leading Anyang probably expected smooth sailing against a Daegu squad that had only two wins to show.

But Murphy Holloway combined with Belangel to form a potent inside-outside threat for Daegu that allowed them to keep in step with Anyang practically the entire game. 

Murphy led the attack for Daegu with 23 points coupled with 19 boards, while Belangel complemented him by going 3-of-7 from beyond the arc to finish with 13 points. Their efforts, though, still fell short as the KOGAS Pegasus suffered their sixth loss. 

Former Atlanta Hawk and Golden State Warrior Omari Spellman matched Holloway’s monster numbers by producing 24 points and 20 rebounds for Anyang. 

Abando, still not back at 100% form after being sidelined by a hip injury, saw his floor time increase slightly to 10 minutes and helped his team’s cause with 6 points and 2 boards. 

At the Wonju General Gymnasium, RJ Abarrientos, missing in action again due to a right ankle sprain, could only watch helplessly as his team, the Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus fell to their second loss in three games after getting defeated by Ethan Alvano and the Wonju DB Promy, 86-81.

Alvano, who suited up for Eisbaren Bremerhaven in the German top tier Pro A before signing a two-year contract with Wonju, continued to be a stabilizing presence for his team, delivering 10 points, 4 boards, and 5 assists.

Versatile 6-foot-5 guard-forward Lee Woo-seok, the youngest player in the Korean national basketball team at 23 years old, tried to make up for Abarrientos’ absence by putting up 19 points and 6 boards. 

After opening the season with two losses, the Wonju DB Promy have now won six of their last seven games to move up to second place in the standings, just behind Anyang.

Ulsan, on the other hand, dropped to third place with a 5-3 record. – Rappler.com