THE highly awaited game between two of the most brilliant young guns in Philippine basketball finally took place, with Carl Tamayo winning his debut Korean Basketball League (KBL) matchup against Kevin Quiambao.
Tamayo and the Changwon LG Sakers defeated Quiambao and the Goyang Sono Skygunners 91-79 in their professional matchup basketball debut on Sunday, at the Changwon Gymnasium.
Key Contributors
No matter how much we want to see both of these Filipino players win consistently, there will only be one winner in this matchup. Without a doubt, both were valuable contributors to their teams.
Tamayo finished the game with 12 points, four assists, and two rebounds, while Quiambao, just like his UAAP on-court production, filled the stat sheet with 15 points, six assists, five rebounds, and three steals.
Changwon presently climbed to a solitary spot as the second seed, with a 27-16 win-loss record following back-to-back victories. Meanwhile, Goyang sits ninth in the 2024-2024 KBL rankings, with a 14-29 record.
Road to Greatness
Tamayo and Quiambao had a long history together in the Philippines. The two standouts were former high school classmates at NU Nazareth, college competitors, and Gilas Pilipinas teammates.
During their time with the Bullpups, Tamayo and Quiambao won back-to-back championships in UAAP Juniors Basketball in Season 81 and 82, when NU was a dominant force.
Following their juniors’ success, Tamayo joined the UP Fighting Maroons, where his previous head coach Goldwin Monteverde went, while Quiambao played for the DLSU Green Archers in the seniors.
While they may be separated, it appears that success follows them wherever they go. Who would’ve thought that both of them became the stars of UAAP and have won a title for their respective universities.
PH’s Future
When it comes to the next generation of Philippine basketball players, Tamayo and Quiambao will undoubtedly be at the top of most lists, as seen by how they have performed abroad.
Recently, the two of them played for the national team, where they lost to Chinese Taipei and New Zealand in the final two games of the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers.
Prior to it, they had won four consecutive qualification games and had an impact on Gilas’ level of play in a variety of ways as they tried to process the magnitude of where they currently stand.
Only time will tell which of them will be more successful in the pro level. While their stories may be written in different directions, it is impossible to deny that both demonstrate greatness wherever they go.
