For the third time in ABL Season 10, the Singapore Slingers will face off against San Miguel Alab Pilipinas this time on the road as the match will be played in the Philippines.
The last game between these two teams turned out to be a signature win for the Slingers as they suffocated Alab’s usually fiery offense. Singapore limited the Philippine team to only 44 points in the first three quarters including an 11-point third period.
It is apparent that the Slingers have now gained their rhythm after struggling to start their season. They have now picked up four wins in their last five games with the only loss being at the hands of the league-leading Mono Vampire Basketball Club, which they picked up in come-from-behind fashion, 67-65, at the OCBC Arena. This would only be a speed bump for the Slingers as they bounced back with two straight wins against the Saigon Heat and Hong Kong Eastern. Now they are gunning to get a winning streak going.
Marcus Elliott had an emotional return to the Southorn Stadium as he got reacquainted with his former teammates but he made it clear that he’s on the other side now as he led the Slingers with 23 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists. He took charge late in the game to complete Singapore’s comeback from 18 points down. With Elliott heating up, Xavier Alexander took a step back to a complementary role but still chipped in solid numbers with 17 points, six rebounds, and six assists.
Anthony McClain also powered his way into a double-double with 18 points and 16 rebounds while adding three blocks.
The Slinger center will once again be embroiled in a monster mash against Sam Deguara of Alab as the personal duel between the two giants could very well determine the result of the match.
One guy that Singapore needs to keep an eye on in this game is Jason Brickman who exploded for his ABL career-high of 32 points in their last win against Mono Vampire. The intelligent point guard who usually settles in his role as a playmaker took over the offense for Alab just when they looked like they were on their way to another loss. World Import Nick King also had a nice bounce-back performance in the win with 26 points, nine rebounds, and five assists.
In Singapore’s past two wins, they limited their opponents to less than 17 points in a total of six periods. It would take the same kind of intensity as Alab has shown their ability to explode from 35 points or even more in a single quarter. They will be driven to defend their home court after a lackluster effort against Mono Vampire in their last home game but the Slingers will be ready to finally score a win in the Philippines this season.
