Patriots battle Beermen in Asean Basketball League

Game today:

Ynares Sports Arena, Pasig City

6 p.m. San Miguel Beer vs. AirAsia PH Patriots

THE AirAsia Philippine Patriots will be looking to build on their 86-58 victory over the Bangkok Cobras last weekend when they take on their crosstown rivals, the San Miguel Beermen, today in the Asean Basketball League at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.

The lone game is set at 6 p.m. with the Patriots and Beermen clashing for the first time since meeting in the championship of the To Be Number One Basketball Challenge last month in Bangkok, Thailand.

In that tournament, San Miguel downed the Patriots, 84-76, to rule that preseason tourney.

“We’re still adjusting at that time, no stamina on the part of our imports. But this time, they’re all ready,” said Patriots head coach Glenn Capacio.

In fact, Capacio and the team co-owned by Mikee Romero and Tony Boy Cojuangco is looking for payback – big time.

“We’re going to play against a big team,” said Capacio. “They have wing men who are bigger than us and they got the advantage size-wise. So we have to prepare hard and we need to bounce back against them after the loss in Thailand.”

One thing going for the Patriots is that the Beermen are still reeling from a shock 83-77 overtime defeat to the Westports Malaysia Dragons in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.

Leading San Miguel’s charge are import Dalron Johnson and locals Junjun Cabatu, Benedict Fernandez and Cebuano center June Mar Fajardo with former seven-time PBA Best Import Bobby Parks as coach.  Correspondent Jonas Panerio