Where: Changwon Gymnasium 

When: Tuesday, December 9, 7 p.m. KST

Team Records: Changwon LG Sakers (0-3) / Xac Broncos (3-1)

Where to Watch: Ticket Information / Broadcast Information 

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PROJECTED STARTERS 

Changwon LG Sakers

PG: Yu Ki Sang — 188cm / 86kg

SG: Yang Jun Seok — 180cm / 75kg

SF: Carl Tamayo — 202cm / 98kg 

PF: Assem Marei — 204cm / 113kg

C: Michael Eric — 211cm / 114kg

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Xac Broncos

PG: Barsbold Baatar-Erdene — 183cm / 79kg

SG: Ian Miller — 187cm / 90kg

SF: Ikhabayar Chuluunbaatar — 190cm / 80kg

PF: Azbayar Altengerel — 204cm / 90kg

C: Efe Odigie — 203cm / 111kg

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TEAM STATISTIC LEADERS 

Changwon LG Sakers

Points: Assem Marei — 17.5
Rebounds: Assem Marei — 15.0 (3rd in EASL)

Assists: Yang Junseok — 9.0 (1st in EASL)

Steals: Assem Marei — 1.5 

Blocks: Michael Eric — 2.3 (3rd in EASL)

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Xac Broncos 

Points: Efe Odigie — 26.3
Rebounds: Efe Odigie — 14.8 (4th in EASL)

Assists: Ian Miller — 5.8 

Steals: Efe Odigie — 1.5 

Blocks: Azbayar Altangerel — 1.8

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THE RUNDOWN 

The Changwon LG Sakers host Group C leaders, the Xac Broncos, in their second matchup of the 2025–26 EASL season. In their first meeting, the Broncos cruised to a 105–77 win – the 28-point margin is still the largest of any game this season – at M Bank Arena in Ulaanbaatar on November 5.

Broncos center Efe Odigie led all scorers with 32 points on a night when LG were without star big man Assem Marei. It showed on the glass, as the home side out-rebounded the Sakers 40–22 and hit over 60 percent of their two-point attempts.

This time, it’s do-or-die for the reigning KBL champions. A loss would drop LG to 0–4 and officially eliminate them from EASL postseason contention. At 0–3, the Sakers are one of just three winless teams in the league; a win keeps their playoff hopes alive, but only just.

For the Broncos, this is a chance to bounce back from their 109–94 loss to the New Taipei Kings on December 6. A win over LG would move them to 4–1 and keep them on top of Group C, though it still wouldn’t guarantee qualification due to their heavy defeat in New Taipei.

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THE SAKERS

LG has struggled in EASL play so far, but the Sakers remain a force in the KBL, sitting atop the league standings at 14–5. Now 0–3 in EASL with elimination looming, they could find another gear in front of their home crowd at Changwon Gymnasium and finally secure their first EASL win.

A major X-factor is import forward Carl Tamayo. The Philippine international has been consistently impressive in the KBL, averaging 17.2 points and 6.4 rebounds, but has yet to fully find his rhythm in EASL’s international competition. Yang Junseok will also be one to watch, as he leads the league in assists and delivered strong performances in LG’s first two games before missing the most recent outing due to illness.

Another key storyline is the reunion of LG’s preferred starting five. This will be the first time all of the projected starters share the floor together since the Sakers’ EASL opener on October 30 against the New Taipei Kings. Injuries and DNPs for Assem Marei, backcourt duo Yu Kisang and Yang Junseok, as well as Tamayo, have kept them from playing at full strength — but on paper, that finally changes here.

THE BRONCOS

The Xac Broncos missed out on a chance to become the first team to clinch an EASL postseason spot on December 6 in their loss to the New Taipei Kings. At 3–1, they’re still in a strong position, but need a win against LG to further cement their control of Group C with just one regular-season game remaining after this, even if qualification still cannot be mathematically secured today.

Ian Miller struggled offensively against New Taipei, finishing with a season-low 10 points, but he countered that by posting a career-best 10 assists, tying the league’s single-game high this season alongside Meralco’s Chris Newsome and LG’s Yang Junseok. Import center Efe Odigie impressed yet again, extending his run of double-doubles with a 29-point, 18-rebound outing.

A key matchup for the Broncos will come on the defensive end as they try to contain LG’s towering frontcourt trio of Carl Tamayo, Assem Marei and Michael Eric, all of whom stand over 200 cm. Odigie will have his hands full and will need major support from athletic local forward Azbayar Altangerel to keep them in check.

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SPOTLIGHT STORYLINE 

LG FIGHTS FOR SURVIVAL

A loss knocks the Changwon LG Sakers out of contention for the 2025–26 EASL Finals, plain and simple. At 0–3, it’s been a rough run for the current KBL league leaders, who have yet to figure out international competition in their inaugural EASL campaign.

In EASL’s three-season history, no Korean team has ever fallen to 0–4. In 2023–24, both the Seoul SK Knights and Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters reached the EASL Final Four, with SK finishing second and Anyang third. In 2024–25, the Busan KCC Egis started 0–3 before finally getting a win and ending 1–5, while the Suwon KT Sonicboom opened 1–0 and eventually finished 3–3.

Even in this current campaign, LG’s fellow Korean representative, Seoul SK, sits at 1–1 in Group A.