Gilas pals Belangel, Abarrientos collide in KBL preseason tiff

MANILA, Philippines — Gilas Pilipinas teammates SJ Belangel and RJ Abarrientos will rekindle their on-court rivalry from the UAAP in South Korea as their respective teams face off in the 2022 Korean Basketball League (KBL) Cup.

The preseason tournament ahead of the official KBL 2022-23 season will see Belangel's Daegu KOGAS Pegasus go up against Abarrientos' Ulsay Hyundai Mobis Phoebus in a two-game series on October 2 and 4.

The two teams will compete for the top spot in Group D, eyeing to move on to the next round of competition.

Other Filipino imports are also expected to see action. Rhenz Abando's Anyang KGC is in Group C where he joins Justin Gutang's Changwon LG Sakers.

They are joined there by guest club Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps.

Will Navarro, for his part, is in Group A with the Seooul Samsung Thunders, who will open the competition against the Goyang Carrot Jumpers on October 1 before facing the Seoul SK Knights.

Former ABL player Ethan Alvano, meanwhile, will play for Wonju DB Promy in Group B where they play Suwon KT Sonicboom and the Ra Gun-A-led Jeoju Egis.

The top teams from each group will face off in the knockout playoffs, with Group A crossing over against Group B and Group C and D doing the same.

All games will be held at the Tongyeong Gymnasium with the one-game championship set on October 8.