Basketball
Patriots face dangerous Indonesia in ABL semis opener
The AirAsia Philippine Patriots clash with the Indonesia Warriors in an expected all-out tussle for a championship slot in the ASEAN Basketball League Sunday at the Ynares Sports Arena.
Game One of the best-of-three semifinals affair between the Patriots and the Warriors begin at 4 p.m.
The second-seeded Patriots will have their hands full against the third-ranked Warriors, a team that has beefed up their roster in time for the playoffs.
The Patriots have an edge in their head-to-head match but they bowed to the Warriors, 104-79, in their previous encounter after they added explosive import Evan Brock and Filipino-American guard Stanley Pringle to the roster.
AirAsia Philippine Patriots coach Glenn Capacio said that they are ready for the challenge that the Warriors will give.
“Everybody is healthy and raring to get back from that defeat so we’re confident of our chances,” said Capacio.
The Patriots are confident that they can keep pace now with a complete line-up. In their last outing against the Warriors, AirAsia only played with one import in Anthony Johnson after then-reinforcement Chris Alexander left the team.
The additions of Brock and Pringle have turned the Warriors into one of the teams to watch out for in the playoffs. They willed themselves late in the season to finish third in the standings with a 12-9 win-loss slate.
