MANILA – San Miguel-Alab Pilipinas strengthen its hold on the top spot of the 2018-2019 ASEAN Basketball League after an 80-70 victory over Singapore Slingers on Sunday at the OCBC Arena in Singapore.
Renaldo Balkman led the way with 28 points, eight rebounds and six assists, while Peter John Ramos added double-double 22 points and 17 rebounds for Alab Pilipinas, which stayed on top with 17-4 win-loss slate.
Lawrence Domingo also came up with 12 markers and five boards for the defending champions, which survived a subpar showing from Bobby Ray Parks Jr., who was held to six points and seven rebounds.
The Philippine squad struggled early in the match as they were down 18-21 in the first quarter and 33-35 at the half before finally taking the lead at 42-41 on a basket by Balkman.
Balkman and Ramos then went on to work for Alab Pilipinas as it turned a 48-all deadlock to a 67-55 spread late in the third period on a three-pointer from Joshua Urbiztondo.
The Slingers attempted to make a run in the fourth quarter as the trim the deficit to five but Alab got back-to-back inside hits from Ramos and a triple from Balkman for an 80-68 lead with under a minute left in the game.
John Fields top-scored with 21 points, while Xavier Alexander chipped in double-double 18 points and 12 rebounds for the third-running Slingers, which slid down to 13-8 win-loss slate./PN
