Malaysia banks on Pinoy imports

Malaysia’s Filipino imports themselves gave the debuting San Miguel a rude welcome to the Asean Basketball League.

Nic Belasco and Chris Pacana combined for all but two of Malaysia’s 10 points in overtime as the Westports Dragons shocked the favored Beermen, 83-77, yesterday in the opening weekend of Season 3 of the regional home-and-away league here at the Maba Stadium.

Belasco, a 14-year-PBA veteran, also helped the Dragons wipe out the Beermen’s four-point lead in the dwindling seconds of regulation by nailing a putback, before Tiras Wade buried two free throws with 13 seconds left that forged the extra period.

“We’ve seen Nic in the PBA, he will deliver the goods in crunch time and he did it today,” said Ariel Vanguardia, the Dragons’ Filipino coach. “Those three baskets in the end game were very important. He gave us a lift.”

But the Dragons’ American imports also outplayed their Beermen counterparts as Wade dropped a game-high 28 points and the burly Brian Williams also impressively buried 26 markers and hauled down 23 rebounds.

“I knew coming in it’s going to be different from the preseason,” said coach Bobby Parks, whose Beermen were tabbed as favorites after ruling a preseason tournament in Bangkok last month.

“I think we’re going to learn from this loss. We didn’t do a good job on their two imports.”

The Beermen also played minus top recruit Chris Banchero, the 6-foot-1 Filipino-Italian point guard who sat out due to a wrist injury.

Dalron Johnson and Richard Jeter combined for 28 points, while Cebuano star June Mar Fajardo and Benedict Fernandez led the Beermen’s locals with eight points each.

Vanguardia said his Dragons, who didn’t join the Bangkok preseason tilt, came well prepared for the Beermen.

“I hid this team,” said Vanguardia. “We didn’t play in the Bangkok tournament and we pulled off some surprises. With them (Beermen) playing in the tournament, we were able to scout them.”

Belasco drilled all of his six points in the fourth period and the extension, while Pacana also scored all his seven in the second half.

The Beermen’s loss came a day after the AirAsia Philippine Patriots rolled past the Bangkok Cobras, 86-58. Inquirer