By Jonas Terrado
Game Wednesday
(MABA Stadium, Kuala Lumpur)
8:30 p.m. – Malaysia vs Alab Pilipinas
Defending champion San Miguel Alab Pilipinas looks to stay unbeaten after six games when it takes on the Westports Malaysia Dragons Wednesday night in the ASEAN Basketball League at MABA Stadium in Kuala Lumpur.
Alab hopes to continue its hot streak in the 8:30 p.m. match after tearing down the opposition in the previous five outings by an average margin of 15 points.
Coach Jimmy Alapag and his team will play the second game of a busy week in which Alab is also slated to meet Hong Kong Eastern at home on Friday and the Formosa Dreamers on Sunday in Changhua, Taiwan.
Expected to once again lead the Alab charge are imports PJ Ramos and Renaldo Balkman, Ray Parks Jr. and first-year guard Ethan Alvano, who has made a strong impression manning the point for Alab.
Alvano is averaging 8.2 points, 6.4 assists and 1.2 steals and is coming off a season-high 21 points in Sunday’s 105-95 rout of China’s Zhuhai Wolf Warriors in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.
Veteran guard Josh Urbiztondo could replicate his strong showing from Sunday in which he dropped four threes for 19 points against the Wolf Warriors.
Out to derail Alab’s surge are the Dragons, who are toting a 2-3 record after an 89-78 loss to Hong Kong at home last Sunday.
The Dragons will be led by import Winston Shepard with averages of 20.5 points, 12.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists and Chris Eversley (20.4 points and 7.6 rebounds).
