Patriots go for 3rd win vs Brunei 5

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Patriots hope to draw big numbers from American import Donald Little as they gun for their third straight victory against the Brunei Barracudas tonight in AirAsia Asean Basketball League (ABL) Season 2 at the Brunei Indoor Stadium.

“We need to draw a big game from Donald. He should come out with double-double performance,” said RP Patriots coach Louie Alas. “Not just 10-10 numbers, we need 20-15 from him. It’s about time. I know he can do a lot better.”

Alas stressed the need for the 6-foot-10 Little to play aggressively on both ends since the team’s other import Anthony Johnson will be out for the second straight game due to hamstring injury.

Gametime is set at 8 p.m. for the Patriots’ first out-of-the-country stint.

“I hope the players won’t feel they are playing on unfamiliar territory. I hope they will just play their own brand of game,” Alas said.

The Patriots, co-owned by Harbour Centre owner Mikee Romero and Tony Boy Cojuangco, have posted back-to-back wins back home with Alas confident of stretching their win run.

But Little has struggled offensively for the team although he made up for this with a fine defensive job, particularly in the Patriots’ 62-59 win over the Singapore Slingers last week.

Little, who once played alongside current NBA star Tracy McGrady during his high school days at Mount Zion Christian Academy, finished with just seven points but pulled down nine rebounds and came up with five blocks against the Slingers.

Meanwhile, the Patriots have tapped the services of Fil-Am Alex Crisano and Orly Daroya to reinforce the team against the Barracudas, who are out to snap a two-game skid at home.

“The performance of the locals will be crucial. This is the first time Daroya and Crisano will see action and I told them to just get the rebounds because we were out-rebounded last time,” said Alas.

Expected to provide the firepower are Benedict Fernandez, Egay Billones and Junjun Cabatu.