MANILA—The Philippine Patriots needed to gut this one out with their patented defense.
The Patriots tightened the defensive noose in the fourth period and held off Indonesia’s Satria Muda Britama, 75-69, Saturday night to stretch their unbeaten streak to five games in the AirAsia Asean Basketball League Season 2 at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.
Import Donald Little collected 25 rebounds, even as veteran Egay Billones, getting a new lease on his career, buried 10 of his 20 points in the final period to help complete the come-from-behind victory in a battle of teams that figured in the finals of the league’s inaugural season.
The defending champion Patriots couldn’t seize control early despite their torrid outside shooting in the second period, where they made five of their eight shots from beyond the arc.
Instead, the Filipinos needed a strong effort on the defensive end in the second half with Little providing the intimidating presence inside the paint and Warren Ybanez, Benedict Fernandez and Billones harassing Satria Muda’s backcourt.
The Patriots, showing the defensive intensity they lacked in the first three periods, outscored the Indonesians, 15-4, in the first seven and a half minutes of the fourth to grab a 68-63 lead.
The 6-foot-11 Little came alive with nine of his 10 points in the run. Billones went coast-to-coast to push the lead to six, 70-64, all but wrapping up the victory with 51.5 seconds remaining.
Patriots coach Louie Alas was far from satisfied with the win and said needing another late run to come away with a victory isn’t always a good sign.
“I’ll take this win, but we can’t afford to play like this on the road,” said Alas after the Patriots, co-owned by Mikee Romero and Tonyboy Cojuangco, rallied from an eight-point deficit in the third period.
The Patriots missed the injured Anthony Johnson for the third game and reports say he may be given the pink slip.
The scores:
PHILIPPINE PATRIOTS 75—Billones 20, Fernandez 12, Cabatu 11, Little 11, Jaime 9, Ybanez 7, Alcaraz 3, Crisano 2, Sta Cruz 0, Salangsang 0.
SATRIA MUDA BRITAMA 69—Morrison 32, Wuysang 13, Adriano 12, Camaso 7, Broxsie 5, Sanz 0, Ristanto 0, Arifin 0.
Quarters: 17-22, 36-45, 53-59, 75-69
PHILIPPINE PATRIOTS 75—Billones 20, Fernandez 12, Cabatu 11, Little 11, Jaime 9, Ybanez 7, Alcaraz 3, Crisano 2, Sta Cruz 0, Salangsang 0.
SATRIA MUDA BRITAMA 69—Morrison 32, Wuysang 13, Adriano 12, Camaso 7, Broxsie 5, Sanz 0, Ristanto 0, Arifin 0.
Quarters: 17-22, 36-45, 53-59, 75-69
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