(From New Straits Times)
AFTER a tumultuous regular season, Kuala Lumpur Dragons finally have something to celebrate when the Philippine Patriots trounced Brunei Barracudas yesterday to hand the Malaysian side the final Asean Basketball League playoff berth.
KL Dragons did their part on Saturday with a tight 70-67 win over Satria Muda BritAma to finish with a 7-8 record but their playoff fate hinged on yesterday's crucial match in Manila.
In the end, the Patriots ran out comfortable 87-65 winners to seal the regular season championship and set up a best-of-three semi-finals series against the fourth-placed Dragons.
Dragons coach Goh Cheng Huat was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief after the team's initial struggles saw them fall behind the Barracudas in the playoff contention.
"We are just glad to have made it through and anything from this point on will be a bonus. We beat the Patriots once in the league but they are the favourites although we definitely will give our best against them," said Cheng Huat on the team's arrival from Jakarta yesterday.
Patriots finished top of the standings with a 11-4 record to claim home court advantage but will be wary of taking on the Dragons, who have run into form at just the right time after winning three of their last four games.
Ironically, the Dragons final push for the playoffs began with a spirited win against the Patriots on Jan 9 but the league winners have since strengthened their team with the inclusion of Gabriel Freeman, the 2009 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Best Import Award winner for the Albany Patroons, in place of fellow American Brandon Powell.
In the other semi-final series, the Singapore Slingers have home court advantage against Satria Muda after beating Thailand Tigers 92-78 to finish second in the standings.
RESULTS -- Philippine Patriots 87 Brunei Barracudas 65, Thailand Tigers 78 Singapore Slingers 92.
AFTER a tumultuous regular season, Kuala Lumpur Dragons finally have something to celebrate when the Philippine Patriots trounced Brunei Barracudas yesterday to hand the Malaysian side the final Asean Basketball League playoff berth.
KL Dragons did their part on Saturday with a tight 70-67 win over Satria Muda BritAma to finish with a 7-8 record but their playoff fate hinged on yesterday's crucial match in Manila.
In the end, the Patriots ran out comfortable 87-65 winners to seal the regular season championship and set up a best-of-three semi-finals series against the fourth-placed Dragons.
Dragons coach Goh Cheng Huat was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief after the team's initial struggles saw them fall behind the Barracudas in the playoff contention.
"We are just glad to have made it through and anything from this point on will be a bonus. We beat the Patriots once in the league but they are the favourites although we definitely will give our best against them," said Cheng Huat on the team's arrival from Jakarta yesterday.
Patriots finished top of the standings with a 11-4 record to claim home court advantage but will be wary of taking on the Dragons, who have run into form at just the right time after winning three of their last four games.
Ironically, the Dragons final push for the playoffs began with a spirited win against the Patriots on Jan 9 but the league winners have since strengthened their team with the inclusion of Gabriel Freeman, the 2009 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Best Import Award winner for the Albany Patroons, in place of fellow American Brandon Powell.
In the other semi-final series, the Singapore Slingers have home court advantage against Satria Muda after beating Thailand Tigers 92-78 to finish second in the standings.
RESULTS -- Philippine Patriots 87 Brunei Barracudas 65, Thailand Tigers 78 Singapore Slingers 92.
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