ABL: Filipino imports help Malaysia five stun SMB
KUALA LUMPUR—Malaysia’s Filipino imports gave the debuting San Miguel Beermen a rude welcome to the Asean Basketball League here Sunday.
Nic Belasco and Chris Pacana combined for all but two of Malaysia’s 10 points in overtime as the Westports Dragons shocked the favored Beermen, 83-77, Sunday in the opening weekend of Season 3 of the regional home-and-away league at the Maba Stadium.
Belasco, a 14-year PBA veteran, earlier helped the Dragons wipe out the Beermen’s four-point lead in the dwindling seconds of regulation by nailing a putback before Tiras Wade buried two free throws with 13 seconds left that forged the extra period at 73-all.
“We’ve seen Nic in the PBA, he will deliver the goods at crunchtime, and he did it today,” said Ariel Vanguardia, the Dragons’ Filipino coach.
“Those three baskets in the endgame were very important. He gave us a lift.”
The Dragons’ American imports also outplayed their Beermen counterparts as Wade fired a game-high 28 points and the burly Brian Williams shot 26 and hauled down 23 rebounds.
“I knew coming in it’s going to be different from the preseason,” said coach Bobby Parks, whose Beermen were tabbed as favorites after ruling a preseason tournament in Bangkok last month.
“I think we’re going to learn from this loss. We didn’t do a good job on their two imports.”
The Beermen also played minus top recruit Chris Banchero, the
6-foot-1 Filipino-Italian point guard who sat out due to a wrist injury.
Dalron Johnson and Richard Jeter combined for 28 points, while Cebuano standout June Mar Fajardo and Benedict Fernandez led the Beermen’s locals with eight points apiece.
Vanguardia said his Dragons, who didn’t join the Bangkok preseason tilt, came well prepared for the Beermen.
“I hid this team,” said Vanguardia. “We didn’t play in the Bangkok tournament and we pulled off some surprises. With them (Beermen) playing in the tournament, we were able to scout them.”
With less than a minute left in regulation, the Beermen looked headed for a win with a 73-69 advantage, but Belasco and Wade responded before the Dragons took full control in the extra period.
The Beermen’s loss came a day after the AirAsia Philippine Patriots, the other Philippine squad in the eight-team league, rolled past the Bangkok Cobras, 86-58.
The scores:
MALAYSIA 83—Wade 28, Williams 26, Pacana 7, Belasco 6, Kuppusamy 5, Cabahug 4, Loh 4, Batumalai 3, Chee 0.
SAN MIGUEL 77—Johnson 17, Jeter 11, Fajardo 8, Fernandez 8, Dela Peña 6, Baguion 6, Avenido 6, Cabatu 6, Rizada 5, Basco 4, Luanzon 0, Raneses 0.
Quarters: 23-25, 35-42, 59-57, 73-73 (reg), 83-77 (OT)
