Expect another ABL thriller

It’s Game 2 of the ABL Finals at the Sta. Rosa Multi-Purpose Complex in Laguna tonight with San Miguel Pale Pilsen Alab Pilipinas out to remain unbeaten in the best-of-5 series against Mono Vampire of Thailand before heading off to Nonthaburi.

 If Game 1 was an indication, Game 2 will be just as cliff-hanging. Alab drew first blood, 143-130, in overtime as world imports Justin Brownlee and Renaldo Balkman combined for 85 points. Both played heroic roles in the series opener. With Vampire up, 120-116, time down to 19.3 seconds, Brownlee hit a cold-blooded triple to trim the deficit to one. Vampire’s Mike Singletary went 1-of-2 from the line to extend the lead to two then Brownlee was fouled driving to the rim by 7-5 Sam Deguara with 4.2 ticks left. That sent Deguara to the bench for good. Brownlee missed the first free throw and deliberately flubbed the second for a chance to get the offensive rebound and tie the count. With Deguara no longer around to control the boards, Brownlee grabbed his own miss and attempted a layup but failed to find the mark. Balkman came to the rescue with a put-back, time down to 1.3 seconds. Vampire couldn’t get off a decent shot and regulation ended, 121-all.

 In overtime, Brownlee went to work as he fired 10 points to break it open. Alab labored without Bobby Ray Parks down the stretch. With SM patron Hans Sy watching at courtside, Parks sizzled for 27 points before fouling out, time down to 4:42 in the fourth period. Deguara’s absence in overtime wasn’t Vampire’s only handicap. Fil-American point guard Jason Brickman limped to the bench with 3:48 left in the fourth quarter and never returned. Brickman finished with 15 points, 8 rebounds and 14 assists in 38:55 minutes before cramps set in. He led the ABL in assists during the eliminations with a 10.4 clip.

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 Alab got a big lift from Fil-Am reliever Lawrence Domingo who delivered 14 points on 7-of-11 from the field. Domingo isn’t just a potent scorer but also a tough defender. He’ll surely be a prized catch if qualified for the coming PBA draft. Under the PBA rules, a local must play at least seven games in the PBA D-League, no matter how many conferences, to qualify for the draft. For Fil-foreigners, the requirement is 14 games. A player is exempted from the PBA D-League rule if he suits up for Gilas. Brickman is another PBA draft blue-chipper.

 The other Alab scorers were Pamboy Raymundo with 9 points and Pao Javelona with 8. Balkman logged 45 minutes while Brownlee checked in for 44:29. Singletary clocked 44:53 minutes for Vampire and Filipino ASEAN heritage import Paul Zamar, a former UE standout whose father Boycie is an assistant coach with the San Miguel Beer PBA team, shot 25 points, including 4-of-7 triples, in 43:20. Deguarda, plagued by foul trouble, saw action for only 19:33 minutes but still managed 21 points, 11 rebounds and 4 blocked shots. Six-foot guard Daronpan Apiromvilaichai chipped in 14 points, 6-3 Teerawat Chanthachon 7 and 6-2 Chanachon Khalan 6.

 Raymundo shone for Alab with the highest +/- rating of 23 as he delivered 9 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists in 19:59 minutes. Alab’s assist-to-turnover ratio of 30:9 was miles away from Vampire’s lowly 25:20. Alab also had more second chance points, 22-15, bench points, 23-13, fastbreak points, 23-15, rebounds, 50-46 and points in the paint, 88-62. Vampire had the edge in triples, 13-of-34 to Alab’s 8-of-21 and free throws, 25-of-31 to 19-of-25. Alab, however, shot at a higher clip from the floor, 54 to 51 percent with 17 more field goal attempts.

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 Game 3 will be played at the 5,000-seat Stadium 29 in Nonthaburi on Saturday. If necessary, Game 4 will also be at Stadium 29 on Monday. In the event the series is tied, Game 5 will be held back in Sta. Rosa on May 2. Vampire’s record at Stadium 29 this season is 9-3 while Alab has won 5 of 6 in Sta. Rosa. In the eliminations, Alab defeated Vampire twice, 114-87 at Stadium 29 and 86-84 at the Baliwag Star Arena. So Alab is 3-0 overall against Vampire.

 Alab and Vampire finished the eliminations with identical 14-6 records but San Miguel got the higher seeding No. 3 because of the quotient system. Another team Hong Kong Eastern had a 14-6 mark but was ranked No 2. Top seed Chong Son Kung Fu of China was eliminated by Vampire in the best-of-3 semis via a sweep while Alab also broomed defending champion Hong Kong in the semis.

Alab head coach Jimmy Alapag said it’s been a topsy-turvy season for San Miguel, starting the season 0-3 in last place. Alab changed its two original imports Ivan Johnson and Reggie Okosa after four contests. Then, in February, San Miguel took over Alab’s sponsorship from Tanduay in a midstream shift as the team was on a 4-game winning streak to raise its record to 7-4. Two straight losses to Malaysia and Chong Son awakened Alab near the close of the eliminations and now, San Miguel is on a roll with 8 straight triumphs. Two more wins and Alab will wrap up the ABL crown.