RJ Abarrientos’ potential semifinal matchup against Rhenz Abando was stalled after the Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus lost to the Goyang Carrot Jumpers, 86-79, on Tuesday to send the Korean Basketball League quarterfinals to a deciding game.
RJ Abarrientos stats in KBL April 4
Two wins away from a sweep of the best-of-five quarterfinal series, the fourth-seeded Ulsan wasted an early 14-point lead against the Carrot Jumpers to the disappointment of the home crowd at the Ulsan Dongchun Gymnasium.
The winner of Game Three on Thursday night will need just one more win to earn the right to face Abando’s top-seeded Anyang KGC in a best-of-five Final Four.
The second-seeded Changwon LG Sakers, where Justin Gutang plays, are the other team waiting in the semifinals against the survivor of the quarterfinal series pitting defending champion Seoul SK Knights and Jeonju KCC Egis.
Abarrientos registered a team-high-tying 16 points on just 6-of-14 shooting, six assists, two boards, two steals, and one block in almost 33 minutes as a starter.
Junghyun Lee led Goyang with 34 points, while Didric Lawson added 23 markers.
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