ABL: Alab Pilipinas title hopes go up in smoke with quarterfinals exit

FILE – Photo from ABL

MANILA, Philippines—Alab Pilipinas’ championship hopes have come to an abrupt end after getting clobbered by Hong Kong Eastern Basketball Club, 102-84, in the Game 3 of the quarterfinals of the ASEAN Basketball League Wednesday at Southorn Stadium in Hong Kong.

Alab, who lost 2-1 in the best-of-three series, had a hot start with an 18-6 run but that was the defending champions’ last hoorah in the tournament.

Hong Kong went on a 16-1 run to take a 22-19 lead off of Lee Ki’s fade away jumper with 50 seconds left in the opening period.

That early blitzkrieg was enough foundation for Hong Kong to establish its dominance in the game, leading by as much as 44-29 after Marcus Elliott’s three-point play before halftime.

Elliott finished with 29 points and eight rebounds for Hong Kong while O’Darien Bassett added 28 points and 15 assists.

Bobby Ray Parks had 19 points for Alab who have lost seven of their last eight games.