Tamayo shines, spearheads team to victory in B.League Rising Star Game

MANILA, Philippines – Carl Tamayo led the Asia All-Stars to a huge victory over the Asia Rising Stars, 127-115, at the Okinawa Arena in Japan Saturday.

Tamayo scored 18 points in the B.League Asia Rising Star Game on Saturday.

The Asia All-Stars, mostly composed of Filipino basketball players, won their second straight Rising Star game.

With the Asia All-Stars leading by just three, 29-26, at the end of the first quarter, they used the middle quarters to break the game wide open.

They led by 19 points, 94-75, going into the final quarter following a 3-pointer by Matthew Wright.

The Rising Stars then slowly nipped away the lead and cut the lead to just three.

But the Asia All-Stars found their range once again, led by Matthew Wright and Tamayo.

They led by 11, 117-106, with 2:13 remaining in the game.

A 3-pointer by Kai King cut the lead to single digits, but a deuce by Liu Chuanxing and a trey by Wright with 1:18 remaining slammed the door to a comeback.

King hit back-to-back 3-pointers to help the Rising Stars chip away the lead, but Tamayo made a straightaway shot from rainbow country to seal the deal with about 31 seconds remaining.

The former UP Fighting Maroon ended the game with a dunk for the exclamation point.

Liu followed suit for the Asia All-Stars with 15 markers.

King ended the game with 30 points for the Rising Stars.