By Jonas Terrado
Game Today
(Stadium 29)
4:30 p.m. – Mono Vampire vs Alab Pilipinas
(Series tied 1-1)
BANGKOK – San Miguel Alab Pilipinas looks to turn the tables on Mono Vampire and move a win shy of capturing the ASEAN Basketball League crown today in Game 3 of their best-of-five finals at the Stadium 29 here.
Alab is keen on making up for failing to take a commanding 2-0 lead following Wednesday’s 103-100 loss in Sta. Rosa, Laguna as it tries to regain the homecourt advantage in the 3:30 p.m. local time (4:30 p.m. Manila time) match in this bustling Thai capital.
Coach Jimmy Alapag and the rest of the Alab arrived yesterday morning from Manila with one goal in mind.
“Get one in Thailand,” said Alapag. “That’s our whole focus, try to get one on Saturday and give ourselves an opportunity to bring it back home. Not looking anything further past Saturday.”
In order to get at least one road win, Alab is hoping to get the usual production from import Renaldo Balkman and Local Most Valuable Player Ray Parks Jr and for Justin Brownlee to be in good fitness form after suffering from cramps in Game 2.
“I hope to be ready by Saturday,” said Brownlee, who sat most of the fourth quarter because of the injury before missing two three-point attempts in the final seconds.
Containing Mono’s 7-foot-5 Sam Deguara will be another major concern for Alab, though the series has seen standout performances from other Mono players in Fil-American guard Jason Brickman, ex-PBA import Mike Singletary and Filipino guard Paul Zamar.
Local players Darongpan Apiromvilaichai, Chanachon Klahan and Deguara’s backup Chanthachon Teerawat have also provided quality minutes for Mono, leaving Alab with plenty of things to worry.
That is why a lot is expected from Alab role players Lawrence Domingo, JR Alabanza, Pao Javelona, Pamboy Raymundo and Josh Urbiztondo, who showed signs of a revival after firing 14 points on four threes in the Game 2 loss.
“It’s been a little bit of a slow recovery for him from his hamstring injury,” Alapag said of Urbiztondo, who got hurt late in the regular season. “But it was great seeing him come out and make shots for us. We’ll need that the rest of the series”
Parks is hopeful that they could maximize their perceived advantage as far as depth is concerned.
“We need to figure out better defensive assignments and really bring it,” he said. “We’re deep with our bench and everybody plays a part in our team. Everybody just got to bring what they can bring to the table, whether it’s one minute, 30 minutes, we just got to bring it to the table.”
