KBL: Rhenz Abando’s Anyang clobbers Goyang for 1-0 semifinals lead

Anyang KGC’s Rhenz Abando (middle) in the Korean Basketball League. KBL PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Anyang KGC pummeled the Goyang Carrot Jumpers with a 56-point rout to take Game 1 of their best-of-five semifinals series, 99-43, in the 2022-23 Korean Basketball League season on Thursday at Anyang Gymnasium.

Filipino import Rhenz Abando only played 10 minutes of action, tallying two points, one rebound, and a block but Anyang still gave Goyang a rude welcome in the semifinals series opener, where it led as many as 57 points in the final period.

KGC poured in 32 points in the third quarter to tally a 48-point margin, 84-36, heading to the fourth.

Former NBA player Omari Spellman led the collective effort of KGC with 22 points on 4-of-5 three-point shooting to go with five rebounds and five assists.

Park Ji-hoon chipped in 15 points and seven rebounds for Anyang. Han Seung-hee was also instrumental with 14 points and six rebounds. Bae Byung-jun had 13 points and six rebounds, while Jung Joon-won and Byun Joon-hyung added 12 and 10 markers, respectively.

Anyang KGC. KBL PHOTO

Anyang, which won the regular season championship, tries to take a 2-0 lead in Game 2 on Saturday.

The top-seed team also had 25 second-chance points off 13 offensive rebounds.

Jeon Sung-hyun was the lone double-digit scorer for Goyang with 11 points as they shot poorly from the field on 13-of-63 shooting and only had 14% three-point shooting.

The Carrot Jumpers were coming off a grueling five matches against RJ Abarrientos and the Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus, completing a series comeback in the quarterfinals.

On Friday, Justin Gutang and the Changwon LG Sakers open their semifinals series against the Seoul SK Knights.