Game Sunday
(OCBC Arena, Singapore)
4 p.m. – Singapore vs Alab PH
A familiar chant rocked the Filoil Flying V Centre Wednesday night after Justin Brownlee ignited a key run that helped propel Tanduay Alab Pilipinas to its second straight victory after a 0-3 start in the ASEAN Basketball League.
Back-to-back triples by Brownlee late in the third quarter allowed Alab to regain the lead and eventually beat the Westports Malaysia Dragons, 90-79. The consecutive threes that came after trailing 63-60 allowed the good-sized to shout, “Ginebra! Ginebra!”
“That was very special,” Brownlee said of the chants. “I know I’m here in Alab – this is a great team, a great company and everything and have great sponsors – but it always gonna feel great to hear that chant no matter where I am.”
He finished with 29 points, seven rebounds, eight assists, three steals and two blocks in almost 37 minutes in an impressive Alab debut for the hero of Ginebra’s title runs in the 2016 and 2017 PBA Governors’ Cup.
Brownlee got his numbers despite arriving in the wee hours of the morning. Fellow debutant Renaldo Balkman was also dealing with jet lag but began his quest for redemption after a lifetime ban by the PBA in 2013 on a happy note.
Balkman overcame a slow start and 13 of his 17 points in the second half, including a buzzer-beating layup off a Brownlee assist that put Alab ahead 68-63 going into the fourth. The two accounted for bulk of the points in the fourth that saw the Filipino side lead by a high of 16 by garbage time.
“It was a great day to be back in the Philippines where it all started,” said Balkman, who was given a warm reception by the home crowd.
Coach Jimmy Alapag, who had his share of heartbreak against Brownlee and Balkman as both a player and coach, was glad to see his two new players perform in a game that Alab needed.
“We were really in scrambling mode but I gotta commend Renaldo and Justin. Just a great effort from them,” said Alapag, whose team moved to solo fifth at 2-3.
Josh Urbiztondo had the highest point total among locals with 13, Robby Celiz added 10 points and Ray Parks Jr. finished with eight points, five rebounds and three assists.
Fil-American Joshua Munzon scored 21 points in his return for the Malaysian club, which dropped to a 1-3 mark.
