Slingers snap Alab’s threegame winning streak

ALAB Pilipinas failed to extend its winning streak after suffering an 80-90 loss to an AJ Mandani-led Singapore Slingers in the Asean Basketball League (ABL) Season 8 on Wednesday night at the FilOil Flying V Center in San Juan City.

The Tanduay-backed squad was overwhelmed by a late charge courtesy of Mandani, who poured 11 of his 23 points in the fourth period.

Alab dropped to No. 6 with a 3-4 win-loss record.

The Slingers, on the other hand, moved up to No. 5 with a 4-5 card after avenging their 80-89 defeat at the OCBC Arena last Sunday.

Singapore’s World Import Christien Charles pumped in a game-best stats of 29 points and 15 rebounds while fellow import Xavier Alexander flirted with a triple-double, tallying 20 markers, nine boards and nine assists.

Alab’s reinforcements Renaldo Balkman and Justin Brownlee had double-double efforts in the loss. The Puerto Rican center Balkman finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds while the American forward Brownlee chalked 16 markers and 11 boards.

Bobby Ray Parks’ all-around contribution of 16 points, five rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block, together with Josh Urbiztondo’s 12 markers, went down the drain with Alab’s loss.

Urbiztondo hit back-to-back triples and Parks drained a basket to close the gap, 76-82, following the Singaporean squad’s surge in the payoff period.

But a controversial non-call allowed the visiting team to pull away. Alexander avoided a traveling violation then beat the shot clock buzzer for an 84-76 lead with under two minutes remaining.

AfuriousJimmyAlapagwasmetedatechnical foul, resulting in a Mandani free throw.

The Fil-Canadian swingman then knocked down a corner triple for a 90-76 spread with 1:04 left, practically sealing another win for the Slingers on Philippine soil. SLINGERS ( 90)– Charles 29, Mandani 23, Alexander 20, Goh 6, Liew 5, Ng 3, Low 2, Lim 2, Folkoff 0, Oh 0, Tay 0. Balkman 24, Parks 16, Brownlee 16, Urbiztondo 12, Maierhofer 6, Raymundo 4, Celiz 2, Domingo 0, Hontiveros 0, Sumalinog 0, Alabanza 0 12- 19; 42- 38; 64-