Defending champion San Miguel Alab Pilipinas faces the first acid test of the ASEAN Basketball League season when it takes on the vastly-improved Formosa Dreamers tonight at the City of Sta. Rosa Multi-Purpose Complex in Laguna.
The Jimmy Alapag-coached Alab is bracing for a tough encounter with the Dreamers, who won six of their first seven games after the Taiwanese side went a dismal 1-19 the previous campaign.
Alab is coming off two victories over CLS Knights Indonesia, including an 88-80 overtime victory in Surabaya last Sunday with Ray Parks Jr. hitting a key basket in the extension.
Parks is expected to be on the spotlight after being drafted second overall by Blackwater in the PBA Rookie Draft.
But much of the focus has been on Parks’ still-uncertain future after rumors surfaced that the reigning two-time Local Most Valuable Player’s rights will be dealt to Meralco in a three-way trade that also involves TNT KaTropa.
Alab team owner and Parks’ agent Charlie Dy was quick to deny the reported trade proposal.
For now, Parks is keen on maintaining Alab’s perfect record intact against a Formosa side seeking redemption after an 89-74 road loss to Thailand’s Mono Vampire over the weekend.
The Dreamers will be led by imports Malcolm Miller, Tevin Glass and William Artino.
