Jo Jae-ho, Sanchez defeat teammates Kim Hyun-woo and Sayginer
Choi Seong-won knocks off last tournament winner Q. Nguyen, 3-1
Top PBA contenders — Jo Jae-ho (NH Nonghyup Card), Daniel Sanchez (Spain·Welcome Savings Bank) and Choi Seong-won (Huons) — avoided elimination in the losers' bracket.
At Halla Gymnasium in Jeju City on the 9th, Jo Jae-ho beat teammate Kim Hyun-woo (NH Nonghyup Card) 3-0 in the H-group losers' match of the 2025–26 PBA-LPBA World Championship.
Jo dropped into the losers' bracket after a 2-3 loss to Robinson Morales (Colombia·Huons) in his opening match, then faced Kim in a do-or-die showdown. Jo dictated the pace, closing out the first set 15-2 in five innings, taking the second 15-8 in six, and finishing the sweep with a 15-7 third set in nine innings.
Jo will meet Murat Naci Coklu (Turkey·Hana Card) in the H-group finale on the 10th at 9:30 p.m., with a spot in the last 16 on the line.
After an opening-round loss in Group A, Sanchez faced teammate and last season's world champion Semi Sayginer (Turkey·Welcome Savings Bank). The matchup carried final-like stakes, but Sanchez produced a commanding 3-0 win — 15-8 (6 innings), a 15-12 comeback in the second after 11 innings, and a 15-11 finish in the third set (5 innings).
Sanchez will take on another teammate, Kim Jong-won, in the group finale. Kim, who had advanced through the winners' side, fell 2-3 to Jo Geon-hwi (SK Rent-a-Car) and was pushed into the final. Their meeting is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. on the 10th.
Clutch performer Choi Seong-won beat Nguyen Quoc Nguyen (Vietnam·Hana Card), the winner of the 9th Tour (Welcome Savings Bank), 3-1 in the F-group losers' match to reach the group final. In G-group action, Kim Jun-tae (Harim) also ground out a 3-2 losers' victory over Lee Sang-yong to reach his final.
'Hulk' Kang Dong-gung (SK Rent-a-Car) slipped into the group final after a 1-3 loss to David Martinez (Spain·Crown Haitai) in the E-group winners' match. Martinez grabbed the first set, Kang fought back to even it, but Martinez dominated the third 15-5 (8 innings) and closed the fourth 15-8 in just three innings to secure his last-16 berth.
Rising star Kim Young-won (Harim) also fell 1-3 to Vietnamese contender Ma Min-gum in the G-group winners' match and will have another shot at the round of 16 in the group final. Kim will rematch teammate Kim Jun-tae — who won his opening match — in the G-group final at 4:30 p.m. on the 10th.
Meanwhile, Jo Geon-hwi, Ruppi Chenet (Turkey·HiwonLizzot), David Zapata (Spain·Woori Financial Capital), Kim Nam-soo, David Martinez, Ngo Dinh Nai (Vietnam·SK Rent-a-Car), Ma Min-gum and Robinson Morales all clinched early spots in the last 16.
Semi Sayginer, Kang Min-gu (Woori Financial Capital), Nguyen Duc Anh Chien (Vietnam), Eom Sang-pil (Woori Financial Capital), Javier Palazon (Spain·Huons), Q. Nguyen, Lee Sang-yong and Kim Hyun-woo were eliminated in the group stage.
On the tournament's fifth day, the 10th, the PBA-LPBA group finals will be held. PBA group finals are scheduled for 4:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.; LPBA finals start at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Winners of those matches will advance to the round of 16.
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