Ryukyu's Carl Tamayo looks forward to facing Hiroshima, Kai Sotto in B. League

MANILA, Philippines — Ryukyu Golden Kings' Carl Tamayo has a match up he's excited for once he steps into his role in the Japan B. League after the FIBA break.

He will be on a collision course with a familiar face in early March as his Gilas Pilipinas teammate and former high school rival Kai Sotto is also headed to the Land of the Rising Sun with the Hiroshima Dragonflies.

As his Golden Kings face off with Hiroshima on March 8, the former UP standout expects an entertaining match up with the 7'3" big man.

"It will be fun and it'll be exciting seeing Kai and me playing in the pro league at the same time. We started playing as a young players, we started in the youth team in the Philippines and now we're playing in the B. League playing against each other." said Tamayo, whose NU Nazareth Bullpups used to slug it out with Sotto's Ateneo Blue Eagles in UAAP juniors hoops.

"I think we'll be exciting there's more competition with it." he added.

Now a far cry from who they were the last time they faced each other on the courts when they were still in high school, Tamayo and Sotto will lock horns in what can be considered the peak years of their career.

But even as he and Sotto are among the newcomers to the league and are expected to make their Japan debuts against each other, the UAAP Mythical Team member also expressed his excitement to face other Filipinos in the B. League.

In the same division are the likes of Kiefer and Thirdy Ravena, Ray Parks Jr., Dwight Ramos, and Matthew Wright, as Philippine hoopers continue to have Japan as one of their top destinations for pro hoops.

Knowing that playing professionally in the B. League at this point in his career is not an every day opportunity, Tamayo is grateful to be able to represent the flag.

"For all the Filipinos playing in the B. League, those are people that inspired a lot of basketball players in the Philippines, you know, having the opportunity to play internationally it's a great opportunity as a basketball player, as a Filipino." said Tamayo.

Before leaving for Japan, Tamayo played two UAAP seasons for the UP Fighting Maroons and proved instrumental for the Diliman team in their championship run in UAAP Season 84.