Cebuanos get rare chance to see Abando in EASL
GILAS Pilipinas high-flyer Rhenz Abando will be suiting up for the Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters they compete in the East Asia Super League (EASL) Final Four on March 8, 2023 against Korean rivals Seoul SK Knights at the Hoopsdome in Lapu-Lapu City.
That game will tip off at 5 p.m.
Abando played for the Red Boosters for the first time in over two months on March 3, 2024, scoring 17 points in a 9287 win over Goyang Sono. He had 17 points, four rebounds, and three assists in 28 minutes. Abando was cheered on at the game by the Philippines’ Ambassador to Korea, H.E. Maria Theresa B. Dizon-De Vega.
EASL worked with Jung Kwan Jang to host H.E. Vega, other embassy officials, and members of the Filipino community in Anyang at the game.
“The support of the Filipino fans is a great help. The embassy people came, so I think I’m even happier that we won the game,” Abando said. “I am happy that I was able to win on my comeback match. The team still has some room to improve, but I am happy that we won.”
Abando said he feels he is operating at “85-90 percent” at the moment and that he still feels pain when he leans over.
Abando and his Jung Kwan Jang teammates fly to Cebu this week to play in the EASL Final Four on March 8-10.
The other EASL match will feature the Chiba Jets of the B.League taking on Jeremy Lin and the New Taipei Kings of the P.League+ of Chinese Taipei. That game is at 8 p.m.
The winners of the semifinal matches will advance to the championship game at 7 p.m. on March 10, 2024.