Rhenz Abando, Anyang book KBL Finals berth vs Seoul SK

Anyang KGC’s Rhenz Abando. –KBL PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Rhenz Abando became the first Filipino player to reach the Korean Basketball League (KBL) Finals despite being scoreless in Anyang KGC’s 89-61 rout of the Goyang Carrot Jumpers, 89-61, in semifinals Game 4 on Wednesday at Goyang Stadium.

Abando missed all his three shots but had four rebounds and a block in 10 minutes of play as Anyang ended their best-of-five semis series with Goyang with a 3-1 win to forge a Finals showdown with defending champion Seoul SK Knights.

Anyang, which made its third straight Finals appearance, tries to get back at the Seoul side that beat them last year in a titular series starting on Tuesday at home.

KGC is seeking to redeem the KBL crown, which it last won in the 2020-21 season. The franchise is gunning for its fourth overall championship in the league.

The former NCAA MVP became the last Filipino standing in the 2022-23 KBL season as Justin Gutang and the Changwon LG Sakers got swept by the SK Knights in their own semis series.

It has been a historic rookie season for Abando with Anyang as he won the East Asia Super League champions week crown with a 90-84 victory over Seoul in the winner-take-all Final last March in Japan.

Abando’s team also won the regular season championship with a 37-17 record, where they hold a 3-3 slate against the SK Knights.

Seong-gon Moon led Anyang in Game 4 with 22 points, seven rebounds, and two assists, while Oh Se-guen and Jung Joon-won chipped in 16 points each in their series-clinching win, where they led as many as 33 points.

Dedric Lawson was the lone bright spot for Goyang with 20 points and nine rebounds.