Domingo shines in Alab’s first-ever playoff win

Lawrence Domingo. Photo from ASEAN Basketball League

Lawrence Domingo was the epitome of energy in Alab Pilipinas’ 110-100 victory over Saigon Heat in the quarterfinals of the ASEAN Basketball League Sunday at Filoil Flying V Centre.

Domingo hustled his way to a season-high 18 points while grabbing six rebounds to help Alab move closer to a semifinals berth.

“I wanted to do what is needed by the team, coach [Jimmy Alapag] put us in a position where my energy will help us a lot,” said Domingo. “I tried to come in the game with high energy, play defense, and my offense will just fall into place.”

One thing that may have made a difference was Domingo’s change of sneaker in the middle of the first half, switching from “Graffiti” LeBron XVs to a black-white pair of the LeBron Soldier 11s for the rest of the game.

“This was actually my first time wearing those shoes,” said Domingo of the LeBron XVs. “They were really comfortable on my foot for that it started to go to sleep. I had to switch my shoes real quick.”

This was Alab’s first win in the playoffs since being swept by Singapore last season in the quarterfinals.

And Domingo, who was part of that team that lost to the Slingers, said they couldn’t rest that long on their early laurels, as they still have to finish off the Heat to reach the semifinals against Hong Kong.

“A win is a win but we’re not leaving the game that too happy,” said Domingo whose next game will be in Vietnam on April 7. “There are a lot of things we have to work on.”

Alab allowed the undermanned Heat, who only fielded six players and played without a head coach for majority of the game, score 100 points and even let them chip away at its 22-point lead, 97-75, in the fourth.

“Being this is the franchise’s first playoff win, that’s great but we want to be there in the end,” said Domingo. “That’s our focus and we’ll try to move forward.”