Dave Ildefonso impresses in first starting role in Korea

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Former Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) Blue Eagles superstar Dave Ildefonso made the most out of his opportunity to start for his club in the ongoing 2023 season of the Korean Basketball League (KBL).

The smooth small forward turned heads as a member of the starting five and led the Suwon KT Sonicboom to an 88-84 victory over SJ Belangel’s Daegu KOGAS Pegasus.

Ildefonso put up an efficient performance and finished the nip-and-tuck affair with 10 points, two rebounds, and two assists.

After experiencing inconsistent playing time in his first couple of games, Suwon’s coaching staff finally put him as a starter and gave him the green light to score in his sweet spots.

The result was a favorable one for the former Gilas Pilipinas young cadet as he only missed three attempts out of his seven total shots taken.

Ildefonso started the matchup firing from all cylinders and put the crowd on their feet when he sank two quick three-pointers in the opening quarter.

Aside from his scoring prowess, the son of PBA legend Danny Ildefonso also made his presence felt on the defensive end.

Ildefonso was only averaging four points per game before getting his first start for Suwon KT and will have the chance to increase his averages if he keeps his role.

Suwon KT is looking to improve its chances of making it to the playoffs this year and is currently sitting in seventh place with a 16-20 win-loss record.

Ildefonso will be playing a crucial role to make that happen including a consistent performance from former PBA import Lester Prosper who was acquired by the team several months ago.

Rhenz Abando and the Anyang KGC basketball club are one of the hottest teams in the KBL right now after claiming the no.1 spot with a 25-11 win-loss record.