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| Jameel Warney erupted for 30 points in Seoul SK's New Year's Day win against Changwon. Seoul SK Knights (file photo) |
MANILA--Although no "Battle of King Maroons" happened, Juan Gomez De Liano would still enjoy being on top of the KBL standings as the Seoul SK Knights began 2025 with a 77-74 win against the Changwon LG Sakers at the Changwon Gymnasium.
Seoul SK turned things around in the third quarter, dropping 30 points on Changwon to go up, 63-61, entering the fourth.
The game remained down the wire for almost the entire final frame until An Young-Jun stripped the ball away from Jung In-Duk and scored an and-one opportunity with 12 seconds left to put the Knights up by three.
The Sakers stayed alive when An missed his bonus free throw, but Heo Il-Young's buzzer-beating three only hit the rim as time ran out on them.
Jameel Warney fired 30 points on 14-of-24 shots with 12 rebounds, six assists, one block, and one steal for Seoul SK, which reopened a half-game lead over Ulsan for first place at 17-6.
An added 18 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and two steals.
Gomez De Liano only played for seven and a half minutes with only one rebound to show.
Darryl Monroe led Changwon, which fell to fifth place at 13-11, with 25 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, and one steal.
Carl Tamayo remains sidelined due to a groin injury.
Meanwhile, Suwon sucked the life out of Busan in the fourth quarter to win, 86-68, at the Suwon KT Sonicboom Arena.
Down 42-46 at the half, the Sonicboom recovered in the third quarter to take a 63-61 lead and then stifled the Egis in the fourth quarter, only conceding seven points in the final 10 minutes to pull away for good.
Rayshaun Hammonds put up 19 points, eight rebounds, one assist, and four steals, while Ha Yun-Gi added 17 points on 8-for-10 field goals, five rebounds, one block, and one steal for Suwon, now solely in third place at 14-10.
Heo Ung had 19 points, one rebound, eight assists, and one steal, Lee Seoung-Hyun added 12 points, 12 rebounds, and two assists, and Lee Ho-Hyun went 4-for-4 from the field for 10 points with four rebounds, and two assists for Busan, which dropped to 10-14.
Calvin Epistola put up two points, three rebounds, two assists, and one block.
Follow him on X: @IvanSaldajeno
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