Anyang KGC advances to the medal rounds after rout against San Miguel Beermen

Anyang KGC will play in the medal rounds in EASL Champions Week after a dominating win against San Miguel Beermen this afternoon, beating the 2022 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup Champion 142-87.

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Anyang were one of the more rested teams in the competition as they had a two-day break after tipping off the tournament with a convincing 25-point victory over the Taipei Fubon Braves on opening day. They faced a San Miguel team coming off a defeat to tournament host Ryukyu Golden Kings by a 28-point margin.

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In today’s game, at the Okinawa Arena in Okinawa, Japan, the KBL side showed off their high-octane offense early, pouring 40 points on the Beermen in the first quarter. Their stifling defense suffocated the Philippine side, as San Miguel only shot 42 percent from the field the entire game.

The Korean side cruised from beginning to end, finishing off their group stage with back-to-back wins.

Anyang KGC had strong contributions from many players today, as four of their starters scored in double figures. Former NBA big man Omari Spellman could not be stopped, finishing with a ridiculous 53 points, and 13 rebounds, knocking down 12 triples.

After the game, Anyang KGC Head Coach Yang Heejong commented on how the point difference tiebreaker impacted this game: “Before the game, we told the players that we needed a big win, how important the point difference is in the tournament. The players did a great job – they executed well, they did what they wanted to do, and they stayed together.”

The Beermen’s loss eliminates the team from EASL Champions Week, after they lost both group stage games. Import player Cameron Clark was the lone bright spot for the losing side today, leading his team in points in back-to-back games, posting a double-double with 35 points and 10 rebounds.

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