Dragons force KO Game 3
SAN MIGUEL Beer couldn’t replicate its Game 1 poise as the Westports Malaysia Dragons blasted the Beermen, 100-77, yesterday at the Maba Stadium in Kuala Lumpur to force their Asean Basketball League semifinal series into a winner-take-all showdown next week.
Malaysia’s Tiras Wade, Brian Williams and Filipino import Patrick Cabahug combined well in the final quarter just when the Beermen had taken the lead after battling back from double-digit deficits.
“I challenged the guys to make it a statement game,” said Ariel Vanguardia, the Dragons’ Filipino mentor. “This week we had unbelievable practices.”
The Dragons not only spoiled the Beermen’s bid to clinch the first title berth but also snapped the top seed’s eight-game winning streak since late in the eliminations.
Wade powered the Dragons with 34 points, while Williams flirted with a triple-double of 26 markers, 15 rebounds and seven assists. Cabahug had another big game for the Dragons with 17 points.
“We just tied the series, it will still boil down to the third game,” said Vanguardia.
The Beermen will head home and vie for the title berth anew in the decisive Game 3 at 4 p.m. on Saturday at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.
Wade got off to a hot start, unloading 11 points in the first five minutes to lift the Warriors to an early double-digit lead at 17-4.
By the second period, the Warriors led by as many as 14 points, 44-30, before San Miguel import Duke Crews fueled a 12-1 run capped by Chris Banchero’s shot clock-beating triple that cut the deficit to three, 45-42, at the half.
The Beermen sustained the surge after the break, taking the lead for the first time, 47-46, before Williams towed the Dragons to a 60-60 deadlock.
From there, it was all Malaysia as Cabahug also hit key triples to help the Dragons regain the lead, 77-66.
The Beermen, showing more composure in Game 1, outlasted the Dragons, 111-104, in overtime last weekend.
Meanwhile, the AirAsia Philippine Patriots also hope to forge a deciding Game 3 in their own semifinal series against the Indonesia Warriors at 4 p.m. today at the Mahaka Square in Jakarta.
The scores:
MALAYSIA 100—Wade 34, Williams 26, Cabahug 17, Pacana 6, Ng 5, Batumalai 3, Belasco 3, Kuppusamy 3, Kwann 0, Chee 0.
SAN MIGUEL BEER 77—Crews 15, Banchero 13, Fazekas 12, Avenido 10, Gonzales 7, Yap 6, Fernandez 5, Fajardo 5, Ferriols 4, Baguion 0, Luanzon 0.
Quarters: 26-19, 45-42, 72-66, 100-77
