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| Jo Jae-ho / Photo: Provided by PBA |
On the 9th at Halla Gymnasium in Jeju City, Jo dominated teammate Kim Hyun-woo (NH Nonghyup Card) with a 3-0 sweep in the H-group elimination match of the 2025-26 PBA-LPBA World Championship — the Hana Card Hana Capital Jeju Special Self-Governing Province event.
Jo had dropped into the elimination bracket after a 2-3 loss to Robinson Morales (Colombia·Huons) in his opening match, setting up a high-stakes meeting with Kim. Under pressure, Jo found his rhythm early and never let up. He closed the first set 15-2 in five innings, followed by a 15-8 win in six innings, and finished the night with a 15-7 victory in nine innings to complete the 3-0 result. Jo will face Murat Naji Coklu (Turkey·Hana Card) at 9:30 p.m. on the 10th in the H-group decider for a spot in the round of 16.
Sanchez, who also lost his opening A-group match, ran into teammate and last season’s world champion Semih Sayginer (Turkey·Welcome Savings Bank) in the elimination round. What looked like a finals-caliber matchup turned into a decisive win for Sanchez, who took the first set 15-8 in six innings, rallied to edge Sayginer 15-12 in 11 innings in the second, and closed out the match 15-11 in five innings for a 3-0 victory.
Sanchez now meets another teammate, Kim Jong-won, in the group-stage finale. Kim, who had advanced from the winners' side, fell 2-3 to Jo Geon-hwi (SK Rent-a-Car) and was pushed into the final. Sanchez and Kim Jong-won will square off at 9:30 p.m. on the 10th.
Clutch performer Choi Seong-won advanced from the F-group elimination match, edging Nguyen Quoc Nguyen (Vietnam·Hana Card), the winner of the ninth tour (Welcome Savings Bank), 3-1 to reach the final. In G-group action, Kim Joon-tae (Harim) survived a tight 3-2 win over Lee Sang-yong in the losers' bracket to move on to his final.
'Hulk' Kang Dong-gung (SK Rent-a-Car) slipped into his group final after a 1-3 loss to David Martinez (Spain·Crown Haitai) in the E-group winners' match. Martinez won the opener, Kang fought back in the second, but Martinez dominated the third 15-5 in eight innings and wrapped up the fourth 15-8 in three innings to secure his place in the last 16.
Rising star Kim Young-won (Harim) also fell into a final after losing 1-3 to Vietnamese contender Ma Min-gum in the G-group winners' match. Kim will get another shot at a round-of-16 berth when he meets teammate Kim Joon-tae — who won his opening match — at 4:30 p.m. on the 10th.
Meanwhile, Jo Geon-hwi, Rupi Chenet (Turkey·HiwonLizzoT), David Zapata (Spain·Woori Financial Capital), Kim Nam-su, Martinez, Ngo Dinh Nai (Vietnam·SK Rent-a-Car), Ma Min-gum and Morales clinched early berths in the round of 16. Semih 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, March 10, the PBA-LPBA group-stage finales will be played. The PBA finals are scheduled for 4:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., while the LPBA finals will be at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Winners in those matches will advance to the round of 16.
[Sports Today reporter Kang Tae-gu sports@stoo.com]
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