By JONAS TERRADO
San Miguel Alab Pilipinas put itself in contention for an outright semifinals berth after routing CLS Knights Indonesia, 101-63, to close its elimination round campaign on a high note in the ASEAN Basketball League at the City of Sta. Rosa Multi-Purpose Complex in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.
Alab opted to give its less-heralded players the opportunity to shine as Pamboy Raymundo topscored with 20 points while Paolo Javelona registered 18 points, 10 rebounds and four assists to complete a season sweep of the Indonesian club and end the elims with a 14-6 record.
Reigning Local Most Valuable Player Ray Parks Jr. had 19 points and six assists, Justin Brownlee had 11 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals and fellow world import Renaldo Balkman contributed 11 points, seeing action despite twisting his left ankle in Wednesday’s 84-67 win over the same CLS side in Caloocan City.
The Jimmy Alapag-coached squad forged a tie for third with Thailand’s Mono Vampire but could gain a top two finish if defending champion Hong Kong Eastern defeats China’s Chong Son Kung Fu tomorrow night at the Southorn Stadium in the Hong Kong district of Wan Chai.
Chong Son and Hong Kong are tied for the lead with identical 14-5 slates. A Hong Kong victory would propel Alab to the No. 2 spot or otherwise fall into the No. 3 seed and a best-of-three quarterfinal duel with the No. 6 Saigon Heat.
CLS import Shane Edwards finished with 21 points in his final game in the ABL before suiting up as standby import of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in next month’s PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
