ABL Finals: Rosales rallies Singapore Slingers for naught

Singapore’s Kris Rosales. Kuk Thew/Asean Basketball League

SINGAPORE — With Singapore losing grip of the Game 3 of the ASEAN Basketball League, Kris Rosales tried to breathe life into their performance.

Down by double digits, 49-61, for the first time since the tip off, the reed-thin Rosales rallied the Slingers and went running around screens and knocking down jumpers to trim the lead down to four, 59-63, early in the fourth.

But it had been for naught as help didn’t come.

READ: Malaysia routs Singapore in game 3, inches closer to ABL crown

The Fil-American guard, who played in the PBA D-League and was drafted in by Barako in the PBA, tried to get Slingers’ effective running game going, but the Slingers ran into a wall when import Xavier Alexander fouled out midway the payoff period.

“I was just trying to be aggressive. Not necessarily to score but to make plays. If it was to me to score, I will; If I found a teammate, I’ll try to hit him,” Rosales, who finished with 12 points, three rebounds and four assists, told Manila based reporters after Singapore’s 90-72 loss to Malaysia here.

“I was just trying to play defense, try to turn the ball over try to speed up the game because we play better if we run. But unfortunately, we didn’t get the win.”

READ: Jason Brickman eyes Europe, not PBA, after ABL Finals

When Alexander, who seemed to have gotten a jolt of energy in the second half after a quiet first, walked back to the bench with his fifth foul, it went all downhill for the Slingers as Cal Godfrey, Fil-American Jason Brickman and Reggie Johnson ran rampant for the Dragons.

“He was one of our key defenders and key play makers. We struggled in some areas that he helps us,” Rosales said of Alexander, who finished with 13 points and seven rebounds.

Wu Qingde, who kept the Singaporeans at the OCBC Arena on their feet in the first half, likewise lost his touch when the Slingers needed him most, scoring just four of his 19 points in the second half.

“It was a tough loss. It’s win or go home now,” said the soft-spoken Rosales.

The Slingers are now a setback away from seeing the ABL crown slip from their hands, and making thing worse is they could watch the visiting Dragons celebrate in front of their home crowd.

“Our backs are against the wall. On Sunday we have to give it everything we have or its over. There’s a little pressure on us but we have nothing to do but win,” Rosales said.