Patriots aim to nail first ABL crown

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines won’t settle for anything less than the championship as it tries to re-stake its claim as the top team in the region in the first Asean Basketball League unfolding Saturday in Jakarta, Indonesia.

“It’s always nice to be the inaugural champion of any tournament,” said Mikee Romero, who along with Tonyboy Cojuangco, will run and manage the Philippine Patriots in the ABL tourmanent.

“It’s all about pride. It’s all about fighting for our country,” added Romero in yesterday’s PSA Forum where he was joined by team manager Erik Arejola, American reinforcement Jason Dixon and locals Rob Wainwright and Khazim Mirza.

While Romero, whose Harbour Centre team owns the record of seven straight championships in the Philippine Basketball League, hopes his PBL success would spill over the six-nation, home-and-away tourney, it can’t be taken as a gauge.

“Winning seven straight titles in the PBL doesn’t mean anything here in the ABL. We cannot underestimate the other countries here but we built our team to be as tough as nails. We’re physical, fast and aggressive,” said the PBL chairman.

To help him try and achieve the goal are head coaches Louie Alas and Bogs Adornado, a pair of rugged imports in Dixon and Brandon Powell, and a sprinkling of locals who are out to prove something while winning games for the country.

They include Mark Isip, Donbel Belano, Mark Andaya, Froilan Baguion, Christian Coronel, Neil Raneses, Nat Cruz, Jerwin Gaco, Ricky Ricafuente, Erwin Santamaria, Dino Daa, Haser Mondragon, Mirza and Wainwright.