ASEAN BASKETBALL LEAGUE NEW SEASON UNFOLDS JANUARY 11

SIX teams will see action in this season’s Asean Basketball League led by defending champion Indonesia Warriors and Philippine representative San Miguel Beermen. Last season’s two finalists will open the 2013 edition on January 11 in Indonesia. The other teams making up the rest of the field include 2011 champions Chang Thailand Slammers, the Ariel Vanguardia-mentored Malaysia Dragons, last year’s expansion team Saigon Heat, and Jobstreet. com Singapore Slingers. Teams that begged off participating this year are expansion squad Bangkok Cobras and inaugural champions AirAsia Philippine Patriots. The format for this season will have the teams face each other four times. The top four teams will advance to the semifinals. The playoffs will be played on a best-of-five affair.