PATRIOTS EYE FINALS STINT
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb. 2 (PNA) — The Philippine Patriots try to earn a spot in the finals when they battle the KL Dragons in Game 2 of their ASEAN Basketball League semifinals Wednesday at the MABA Stadium here.
The Patriots, co-owned by Harbour Centre CEO and president Dr. Mikee Romero and businessman Tony Boy Cojuangco, need just to win Game 2 to advance to the finals against either the Singapore Slingers or Indonesia’s Satria Muda BritAma next week.
“They have to play their best, much better than what they dished out the last time,” said Romero. “I expect Gabe (Freeman), Jason (Dixon) and the rest of our locals to step up. We have to advance to the finals because we are seeded No. 1 in this tournament.”
The Patriots earned homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs by topping the grueling triple-round elims. The Patriots posted an 11-4 record.
Getting a help from almost everybody, the Patriots easily took Game 1 of the best-of-three series, 77-43, last Sunday at the Ynares Sports Center.
Imports Gabe Freeman (15 points and 11 rebounds) and Jason Dixon (13 points and 13 rebounds) each had a double-double for the Patriots while getting big-time support from the locals, particularly guards Warren Ybanez and Jaypee Alcaraz.
But this time, coach Louie Alas is not expecting another massacre, especially playing in front of a sellout crowd that has not forgotten their bruising encounter like their previous clash here last January 9 when the Dragons scored a 77-59 rout over the Filipinos.
“We’ll probably keep the same strategy we did last Sunday but we expect them (Dragons) to give us a hard time especially playing in front of their home fans,” said Alas, whose squad arrived in this bustling Malaysian capital where the famous Petronas Tower is located.
In that contest, the game was marred by two altercations when Rob Wainwright and KL’s Chze Hian Chai traded elbows in the first quarter before Dino Daa and Yoong Jing-Kwaan had an altercation that led to the ejection of the Dragons’ Cameroonian import Chris Kuete.
Both teams were actually on the same four-hour flight via AirAsia to the KL International Airport with the Patriots immediately went to a shoot around at the MABA practice facility, a short walk from the team’s hotel, before holding a final practice at the main gym Tuesday.
Alas will also lean on rugged forward Jerwin Gaco, who had seven points and 11 rebounds, along with ex-collegiate standouts Nonoy Baclao, Elmer Espiritu and Val Acuna.
The Dragons, coached by Goh Cheng Huat, are hoping to squeeze the best from Kuete and American Jamal Brown, who both failed to score in double-figures the last time.
Kuala Lumpur’s Filipino imports Rudy Lingganay, Roel Hugnatan and Fhadzmir “Toto” Bandaying are also expected to deliver just like what they did in their win the last time.
Lingganay, who played for University of the East last season, led the Patriots with 14 points while Hugnatan, a PBL veteran, chipped in 13 markers as he held his ground against Wainwright and former import Brandon Powell.