MANILA – Undermanned San Miguel-Alab Pilipinas failed to keep in step with Taiwan’s Formosa Dreamers to suffer a 71-79 defeat in the 2019 ASEAN Basketball League at the Changhua Country Stadium in Taiwan.
The defending champions entered the match with nine healthy players on Sunday, with Renaldo Balkman (concussion protocol), Lawrence Domingo (knee), Caelan Tiongson (right ankle), and Brandon Rosser (right knee) all unavailable.
Despite being shorthanded, the Philippine representatives were still leading the Taiwanese heading into the final period at 62-59 but the Dreamers uncorked a 12-2 run to surge to a 71-66 advantage.
Alab Pilipinas was able to come close on timely conversions from Bobby Ray Parks Jr. but the Dreamers responded with huge baskets from Tevin Glass to keep the Filipinos at bay.
Glass finished with double-double 27 points and 12 rebounds. Malcolm Miller added 18 points and 12 rebounds, while William Artino chipped in 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Dreamers (16-6).
Parks, meanwhile, carried the fight for the Philippine squad (18-5) with 27 points, six rebounds, and two assists while Peter John Ramos added double-double 12 points and 10 rebounds.
It was the Philippines’ second time to lose to the Dreamers with the latter taking the series lead at 2-1. Both squads will face each other for the last time in the eliminations on March 17./PN
