ABL: Beermen trump Singapore Slingers again

San Miguel Beer yesterday worked harder in the second half to repeat its trashing of Jobstreet.com Singapore, 80-69, for its eighth straight victory in the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) at the Ynares Sports Arena, in Metro Manila’s Pasig City.
 
Leo Austria, San Miguel coach, described his team as having become complacent in the first half while the Singapore Slingers were more aggressive. “Our complacency was there, but I’m happy to see everyone step up in the second half,” he stressed.
 
The Beermen pulled away late, with Chris Banchero and Asi Taulava teaming up for 18 of San Miguel Beer’s 23 points in the third quarter. This catapulted the team to a 12-point lead, 55-43, after a half-time deadlock at 34.
 
Banchero was again the topscorer with 19 points built on a 62-percent shooting, the same statistic he set last week, when the Beermen routed the Slingers, 78-57, at their encounter in ABL, a professional sports association for the advancement of basketball throughout ASEAN, or the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.  
 
In yesterday’s game, the Slingers took control for most of the first half behind Filipino-American guard Phillip Morrison and Rashad Jones-Jennings, building an eight-point lead, 30-22. 
 
The 38-year-old Taulava buried nine of his 15 points in the third-quarter run on top of 10 rebounds and three assists.
 
But the surprise package in the second half was Hans Thiele, who scored 11 points off the bench, according to ABL website.
 
Austria said that yesterday’s triumph would now make it “easier for us to catch up with Indonesia for the top spot”.
 
The Beermen picked up their 11th triumph in 14 outings while defending champion Indonesia Warriors have set the longest winning streak of 12-4 this season.
 
Scoreboard:
 
San Miguel Beer (Beermen) 80—Banchero 19, Taulava 15, Thiele 11, Rizada 9, Williams B. 9, Avenido 6, Williams J. 5, Luanzon 2, Acuña 2, Hubalde 2, Menk 0, Fortuna 0.
 
Jobstreet.com Singapore (Slingers) 69—Morrison 28, Jones-Jennings 13, Singleton 8, Folkoff 7, Wu 5, Lim 4, Cabatu 4, Oh 0, Goh T. 0, Goh K. 0.
 
Quarters: 16-21, 34-34, 57-50, 80-69

 

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