Alab survive Heat, seal semis duel versus HK

HO CHI MINH, Vietnam – Alab Pilipinas overpowered a hot-shooting Saigon Heat and fashioned out a 96-85 victory in a highly physical encounter to seal a semifinal duel with defending champion Hong Kong Eastern in the ASEAN Basketball League at the CIS Arena here Saturday night.

Imports Renaldo Balkman and Justine Brownlee fired 21 and 18 points, respectively, and crushed the boards with authority as they combined for 25 of the team’s 60 rebounds to help anchor the 11-point romp and a sweep of their quarterfinal duel.

Alab, who also took Game One, 110-100, back home at the Filoil Flying V in San Juan last week, thus set up an interesting bestof-three semis faceoff with Hong Kong and Fil-German Christian Standhardinger.

Game One starts on Wednesday in Hong Kong.

“We’ve always wanted the opportunity to play the defending champions and we’ll get a chance on Wednesday,” said Alab coach Jimmy Alapag.

Lawrence Domingo also stepped up big and shot 21 points in an impressive nine-of-10 clip that also drew praise from Alapag.

“It’s great to see a young kid come in work hard every day, he was big for us tonight,” said Alapag of Domingo.

Alab also bucked the Heat’s torrid shooting and physicality and silenced the cheering Saigon fans with clutch baskets.

Saigon buried 16 triples, including four each by David Arnold, Moses Morgan and Maxie Kunle Esho, while engaging Alab in trash talk and taunting that kept them in the game for most part of the heated encounter.

But Alab, particularly Balkman, held their cool and poise.

The scores: San Miguel Alab Pilipinas 96 – Balkman 21, Domingo 21, Brownlee 18, Javelona 11, Parks 10, Raymundo 6, Urbiztondo 6, Hontiverso 3, Celiz 0, Sumalinog 0

Saigon Heat 85 – Scott 22, Esho 20, Morgan 17, Arnold 14, S. Nguyen 6, Williams 6, H. Nguyen 0, To QT 0

Quartercores: 28-27; 46-42; 73-59; 96-85