Alab Pilipinas, Saigon continue to bring the heat in quarterfinals duel

Alab Pilipinas. Photo from ASEAN Basketball League

It was another hostile meeting as Alab Pilipinas and Saigon brought the fireworks in the just first game of their ASEAN Basketball League quarterfinals duel Sunday at Filoil Flying V Centre.

Both sides shot the lights out and combined for 24 triples, and also didn’t hesitate to get rough, committing 41 fouls in a game that which saw players fall to the ground several times and one head coach get thrown out.

Saigon head coach Kyle Julius got directed to their locker room with as early as two minutes left before halftime as he got called with two technical fouls.

Alab Pilipinas Jimmy Alapag admitted that it has been a heated season-long battle with the Vietnamese, who haven’t won to the Filipinos in their three games this season.

“It’s been kind of chippy with Saigon the whole season and the ABL has this level of physicality,” said Alapag after they inched in to the semifinals after a 110-100 victory. “It’s the first game of the playoffs but I’ll watch the tape tonight.”

The fourth quarter heard more than 10 fouls called, but Alab Pilipinas had more pressing concerns as it faced an uprising from the visiting team, who trimmed the Filipinos’ 22-point lead down to 108-98 with 1:20 left.

Forward Renaldo Balkman said he doesn’t mind the physicality but he wants the game officials to have control once the action gets out of hand.

“To be honest, we play hard and we want to give the fans a good show to watch,” said Balkman who finished with 17 points and 20 rebounds. “But the referees got to protect us, we are professionals out here, we give the crowd a good show so they just got to protect us so we can give a good show.”

Lawrence Domingo, who’s known more for his hustle and tenacity, said the physicality with the Heat amped him up to play better but he knows the team who remains composed would end up as the victor.

“Us and Saigon, we play physical together and it gets real intense between us but that’s when basketball becomes fun,” said Domingo who had a season-high 18 points while grabbing six boards. “It was much more physical today but we got to play through it and stay within ourselves and we’ll come out on top.”