Changwon LG Sakers forward Carl Tamayo during the KBL Finals.–Photo from Changwon
MANILA, Philippines—It took Carl Tamayo seven games, but he successfully etched his mark in the history books.
On Saturday, Tamayo and the Changwon LG Sakers defeated the Seoul SK Knights in Game 7 of the Finals, 62-58, to avoid a total disaster after fumbling their early 3-0 advantage in the best-of-seven series.
READ: Carl Tamayo not chasing individual accolades in KBL Finals
For the city of Changwon, the championship marked a historic breakthrough since joining the KBL in 1997.
For Tamayo, it marked an even greater personal milestone.
The University of the Philippines product became the first Filipino import to win a title in the Japanese B.League and KBL.
Tamayo brought home a B.League title back in 2023 despite not being utilized much by the Ryukyu Golden Kings.
READ: Carl Tamayo, Kevin Quiambao hope to play in Korea longer
That was far from his situation with the LG Sakers, where he was certainly used much more than his time in Japan, netting a third-round MVP award and a spot in the league’s Best 5.
In the most important game of Changwon’s season, Tamayo snagged a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds with two steals and two assists to match, helping the squad close out the SK Knights for good.
Heo Il-Young, who was crowned as the Finals MVP, helped Tamayo bury Seoul with 14 points and five rebounds built on four buckets from deep.
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Tamayo was a big key for the LG Sakers’ blazing start in the Finals, where they came close to a sweep. He scored his series-best 27 in Game 2, making him one of the frontrunners for the Finals MVP.
