By Jonas Terrado
Game Sunday
(Caloocan Sports Complex)
8 p.m. – Alab Pilipinas vs Singapore
Coach Jimmy Alapag is adamant that San Miguel Alab Pilipinas remains a team that is a work in progress despite a strong start and it looks to remain unbeaten against the Singapore Slingers tonight in the ASEAN Basketball League at the Caloocan Sports Complex.
Alab shoots for a 4-0 record in the 8 p.m. match, though Alapag is hoping for a better showing after Friday’s hard-fought 86-72 victory over the Formosa Dreamers at the City of Sta. Rosa Multi-Purpose Complex in Laguna.
The match saw Alab engaging the Taiwanese side in a tight battle for three quarters before uncorking a 13-0 blast from a 69-65 deficit midway in the fourth to extend the best start in the team’s three-year run in the regional league.
“I’m happy with our start but there’s still a lot work to do,” Alapag said. “We’ll keep working and keep doing our best to improve.”
Alapag saw timely contributions from imports Renaldo Balkman and 7-foot-3 PJ Ramos, reigning MVP Ray Parks Jr., Caelan Tiongson, Ethan Alvano and Paolo Javelona to hold off a Formosa side that was handed a second straight defeat after a 6-0 start.
Balkman and Ramos had 19 and 16 points, Parks and Javelona reached double figures with 13 and 11 while Tiongson and Alvano combined for 10 points and seven assists.
“I felt like for most part of the game we were trying to find our way,” admitted Alapag. “It was just one of those tyhpe of games where we have to just keep pushing, and I think our defense kept us in the game.”
Singapore will be another acid test for Alab before the holiday break.
The Slingers are tied for third with the Macau Black Bears at 5-2 after a 92-89 double overtime loss to Hong Kong Eastern at home Friday night.
Expected to lead the charge for Singapore are resident import Xavier Alexander and John Fields, who earlier in the year served as a reinforcement of Columbian Dyip in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
