by Jonas Terrado
Game Sunday (Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu)
7 p.m. — Alab Pilipinas vs Saigon
San Miguel Alab Pilipinas leaned on another strong display from imports Renaldo Balkman and PJ Ramos to crush the Zhuhai Wolf Warriors, 100-81, Tuesday night for its fifth consecutive win in the ASEAN Basketball League in Zhuhai, China.
Balkman topscored with 34 points while grabbing 13 rebounds even as the 7-foot-4 Ramos put together 25 points, 22 rebounds, seven assists and four blocks to tighten Alab’s grip on the top spot with an 11-2 record.
Lawrence Domingo was the other double-digit scorer for Alab with 13 points.
Alab won despite missing Ray Parks Jr. for the third straight game due to a strained groin.
The result also capped off a busy month for the team of coach Jimmy Alapag, going 7-2 that saw multiple plane rides and heartbreaking defeats to the Westports Malaysia Dragons and Formosa Dreamers.
Chen Cai had 28 points but the Wolf Warriors fell to a league-worst 1-14 record despite pulling to within four, 54-50, in the third.
But Balkman, Ramos, Domingo, Brandon Rosser and Josh Urbiztondo responded by hitting baskets in the period to enter the fourth ahead, 75-62.
