Nationals overwhelm Thai squad

Chooks To Go Pilipinas bounced back from a disappointing performance the other day by downing pesky Mono Vampire of Thailand, 115-102, yesterday to gain the solo lead in Group A of the FIBA Asia Champions Cup at the Chenzhou Sports Center in Chenzhou, China.

Seven-foot-one import Isaiah Austin had 27 points, 19 rebounds and four blocks despite injuring his knee in Saturday’s 89-82 loss to Palestine’s Sareyyet Ramallah, while Kiefer Ravena made 14 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter to put Chooks To Go on the verge of securing a quarterfinals berth.

Alaska rookie Carl Bryan Cruz fired a team-high 28 points and Jeron Teng produced 17 points and five rebounds.

The Chot Reyes-coached Chooks To Go squad improved to 2-1 after dealing Mono Vampire, reinforced by former PBA import Mike Singletary and Fil-American guard Jason Brickman, its first loss in two games.

Chooks can secure a quarters berth with a victory over Iran’s Petrochimi tomorrow night, but can still get the berth depending on the results of the other Group A matches.

Singletary, who played for Barako Bull and San Miguel, had 32 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists while Brickman, the ASEAN Basketball League Finals Most Valuable Player when the Westports Malaysia Dragons won the 2016 crown, finished with 17 points, nine assists and seven rebounds.

Chooks To Go led for most of the way, but blew a 15-point first half lead that allowed Mono to take a 51-50 lead before halftime.

Chooks opened the third with six straight points to take a 63-51 lead on a Ravena basket, but Mono got to within two, 68-66, in the same period, only for the Philippine club to bring the advantage back to double digits, 77-67, on Jett Manuel’s triple.

Repeated comeback attempts by Mono Vampire were thwarted by timely shots by Chooks To Go in the fourth quarter that sealed the outcome in the latter’s favor.