RJ Abarrientos and the Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus. –KBL PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—RJ Abarrientos and the Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus moved closer to a semifinals appearance in the Korean Basketball League after defeating the Goyang Carrot Jumpers, 86-71, on Sunday.
Ulsan took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three duel.
Abarrientos, who won league Rookie of the Year honors, helped Hyundai’s cause with nine points, five assists and three rebounds to inch closer to a semis clash with top seed Anyang KGC.
Rhenz Abando’s Anyang automatically clinched a semis ticket after sealing the top seed and KBL regular season title.
Seo Myong-Jin was the leading scorer for Ulsan with 18 points and five assists while Ham Ji-Hoon proved to be a presence in the paint with 16 markers and seven boards.
Over at the Goyang side of things, Lee Jung-Hyun’s 21-point outing was put to waste. Dedric Dawson also notched a double-double performance with 20 points and 13 boards in a losing effort.
On the other end of the bracket where Justin Gutang’s Changwon LG Sakers are waiting, the Seoul SK Knights trounced the Jeonju KCC Egis, 89-73, to take a 1-0 series lead.
Like Anyang, Changwon clinched a semis seat after finishing as the second seed of the season with a 36-18 record.