Alab eyes third straight win vs Slingers

ALAB Pilipinas aims to stretch its winning streak when it battles Singapore Slingers today in the Asean Basketball League ( ABL) Season 8 at the OCBC Arena in Singapore.

Tipoff is set at 4 p. m., with the Tanduay- backed ball club gunning for its third straight win.

Alab is coming off a 90- 79 home victory over Westports Malaysia Dragons last Wednesday at the FilOil Flying V Center in San Juan City, which saw debuting World Imports Justin Brownlee and Renaldo Balkman take charge of a pivotal second half run.

Brownlee and Balkman spearheaded a 20- 3 run bridging the last two quarters to give Alab its first home win and second overall against three defeats, enough to surpass Saigon Heat on the fifth spot.

The American forward Brownlee fired a game- high 29 points to go with eight assists and seven rebounds while the Puerto Rican bruiser Balkman muscled his way to a 17- marker, 11board effort in the previous outing.

The Filipino side is also raring to avenge its 83- 97 loss to the Singaporean squad on November 29 last year at the Sta. Rosa Sports Complex in Laguna.

But Alab head coach Jimmy Alapag knows that exacting revenge will be a tall task against the last season’s runner-up.

“They ( Slingers) are going to be tough. They’re a team that plays very confidently because they were in the finals last year,” said Alapag.

The No. 4 Slingers, who hold a 3-4 win-loss record, are eyeing to jump back to the winning track after absorbing narrow 79-82 road loss to defending champion Hong Kong Eastern Sports Club prior to the holiday break.

Singapore also boosted its lineup during the break as it signed one- time ABL champion and two- time World Import Most Valuable Player Christien Charles, who replaced Ryan Wright.