Game today (San Juan gym)
4 p.m. – AirAsia PH Patriots vs. Bangkok Cobras
The road back to the title starts today for the AirAsia Philippine Patriots as they take on the Bangkok Cobras in the opening game of the 3rd AirAsia ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) Championship at the San Juan gym.
Considering the toughness of the field this time, with some squads boasting of imports standing at 7-foot, PH Patriots coach Glenn Capacio expects an exciting battle for this year’s title although he’s pretty confident his boys can withstand the challenge of the seven other teams, including the country’s second squad, the San Miguel Beermen.
“It’s going to be an exciting contest this time, perhaps much tougher than last year,” said Capacio, who replaced multi-titled coach Louie Alas. “We have one of the best local squads in the league so it’s just a matter of time before we reach our full potential.”
The 4 p.m. showdown is a test case for his boys, especially for their imports – 6-foot-10 Nakiea Jovon Miller and former PBA import Anthony Johnson – who have a mission to accomplish this year.
Miller is out to prove that his winning the Best Import award while playing for the Westports Dragons (Malaysia) was no fluke while the 6-foot-6 Johnson wants to dispel doubts that he’s now over the hill after a series of injury cut short his stint for the Patriots last year.
Despite their impressive resume, both Miller and Anthony, who are equally deadly from afar, will have their hands full against the imports of the Cobras, namely, Genry Lewis, who is the tallest at 7-foot, and Bruce Brown, who stands 6-foot-11. The Cobras’ coach is also no ordinary mentor since Joe Bryant is the father of NBA superstar Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers.
While the imports of the Patriots and the Cobras — one of the three expansion teams in the regional tournament — are expected to cancel each other out, local firepower will be key especially with Jonathan Fernandez, Marcy Arellano, Reed Junstilla, Aldrech Ramos and Eddie Laure.
The Patriots, who lost to the Chang Thailand Slammers last season, also boast of a solid support crew in Erick Rodriguez, Rob Wainwright, Angelus Raymundo, Ardy Larong and Warren Ybanez — the only remnant from the squad that won the inaugural tournament three years ago. Correspondent Jonas Panerio