RJ Abarrientos and his Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus couldn’t follow up thei rousing debut in the Korean Basketball League, absorbing a 93-84 defeat at the hands of Anyang KGC which was still missing the services of Rhenz Abando due to a hip injury on Thursday, Oct. 20.
Abarrientos scored 12 points in his second official game overseas although he struggled to find the mark from the distance with a 2-of-9 clip from beyond the arc. He also had nine assists and two steals to backstop Lee Woo Seok’s 21 points which all went down the drain as Phoebus dropped to a 1-1 record.
Despite missing Abando who was reportedly nursing a bruised hip he sustained during a practice, Anyang remained spotless through three games, thanks to Oh Seu Keun’s 19 points.
Park Ji Hoon had 16 points while import Omari Spellman and Moon Seong Gon added 15 each.
Meanwhile, Abarrientos’ Gilas backcourt partner SJ Belangel finally picked up his first win in KBL with his Daegu KOGAS Pegasus’ 98-78 demolition of Wonju DB Promy on Wednesday.
Belangel finished with 14 points, eight rebounds and two assists as a starter while Senegalese center Youssou Ndoye led the charge with a double-double of 22 points and 17 rebounds.
Fellow Filipino import Ethan Alvano paced Wonju with 14 points, five assists and three rebounds.