RP Patriots eye win No. 4 vs Thais

MANILA, Philippines - With Anthony Johnson back in harness, the Philippine Patriots hope to buck the Chang Thailand Slammers and the hostile crowd as they seek their fourth straight victory in the AirAsia ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) Season 2 at the Nimibutr National Stadium in Bangkok today.

“AJ will be back but he can’t play 100 percent. He’s not yet in his best form so we have to play as one big unit against the host squad,” said Patriots coach Louie Alas. “In fact, his doctor advised him to play just at least 25 minutes.”

Johnson, who saw action in the PBA, sustained a hamstring injury against the Brunei Barracudas three weeks ago and has missed the team’s last two games.

He scored 24 points and pulled down 12 rebounds in the team’s 71-62 win over the Barracudas.

Without Johnson, however, the Patriots still went on to beat the Singapore Slingers, 62-59, last Oct. 9 and repeated over the Barracudas, 72-67, in overtime last week.

The RP Patriots, co-owned by Harbour Centre’s Mikee Romero and businessman Tony Boy Cojuangco, and the Slammers clash at 8 p.m. in a duel of unbeaten teams for the solo lead.

With Johnson far from top form, Alas hopes his top local players – Junjun Cabatu, Benedict Fernandez, Egay Billones and Allan Salangsang – will step up on both ends against the talent-laden Thailand side.

“Thailand is getting better and stronger so the boys will have to play very hard,” said Romero. 

This marks the first time the Patriots will be facing former import Jason Dixon and guard Froilan Baguion.

Dixon posted 28 points and 18 rebounds in the team’s 84-63 rout over Indonesia’s Satria Muda BritAma also last Saturday.

Thailand’s other import, Chris Kuete, and three-point artist Piyapong Piroon are the other marked men for the Slammers.