ABL: Alab falters late, falls to HK Eastern anew

PHOTO FROM ASEAN BASKETBALL LEAGUE

Same old story.

Josh Urbiztondo muffed a potential game-tying triple at the buzzer as Tanduay Alab Pilipinas fell once again to league-leader Hong Kong Eastern Sports Club, 99-96, Wednesday in the 2018 ASEAN Basketball League at Southorn Stadium in Hong Kong.

Eerily reminiscent of his miss in the two team’s first duel, the veteran gunslinger fired his shot a little too long as the Philippine side stayed winless after three games.

Alab squandered an 11-point second quarter lead as Hong Kong Eastern crawled back and the unleashed a 35-point assault, punctuated by a 14-2 blast, to take a 96-88 lead with 1:24 remaining.

Reggie Okosa and Bobby Ray Parks still tried to help the PH crew recover, cutting the lead down to three, 96-93 with 47 seconds to play. Alab even had a chance to tie the game after Tyler Lamb committed a turnover, but Urbiztondo muffed a three with 34 ticks left.

Lamb made Alab pay on the other end as he drilled a jumper to put the defending champions up, 98-93, but Okosa drained another triple with 16 seconds remaining to slice the lead down to two once again.

Lee Ki split his freebies in the final 11 ticks, leaving one last gasp for Alab to force overtime, but for naught.

Lamb fired 32 points, two rebounds, and two assists, while Christian Standhardinger poured 25 markers, 12 boards, four dimes, and two assists for Hong Kong Eastern.

Marcus Elliott got 20 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists, while Lee got 12 markers, five boards, and three dimes in the win.

Tanduay Alab banked on World Import Ivan Johnson who got 32 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and four steals.

Okosa chimed in 25 markers, 13 boards, four steals, and three dimes, Urbiztondo went for 14 points, five rebounds, and four assists, and Parks got 11 markers, 10 dimes, four boards, and three steals in the defeat.

The Scores:

HONG KONG EASTERN 99 — Lamb 32, Standhardinger 25, Elliott 20, Lee 12, Moss 6, Tang 2, Xu 2, Lau 0.
TANDUAY ALAB PILIPINAS 96 — Johnson 32, Okosa 25, Urbiztondo 14, Parks 11, Celiz 6, Hontiveros 3, Sumalinog 3, Domingo 2, Javelona 0, Maierhofer 0.

Quarters: 20-23, 43-46, 64-66, 99-96.