Slammers slam Phl Patriots in double OT

MANILA, Philippines - The Chang Thailand Slammers held the Air Asia-Philippine to just two points in the second overtime as it pulled off a 83-76 victory last Sunday in the Air-Asia ASEAN Basketball League in Bangkok, Thailand.

The Slammers scored eight unanswered points in the second extra period, highlighted by Sopon Pinitpatcharalert’s triple and a three-point play by Piyapong Piroon off a steal as the hosts zoomed ahead at 82-74, sparking a wild celebration at the Nimibutr National Stadium.

Egay Billones, who finished with a team-high 23 points, finally scored on a drive to snap a long spell for the Patriots, but the basket proved to be the only points for the team in the second extra period.

Attaporn Lertmalaipron then split his charities to seal final score.

The hard-earned win, their second in three games against the Patriots, allowed the Slammers to keep the No. 1 spot with a 10-3 record. Thailand also hacked out a 69-68 win over the same team here last Nov. 20.

Chris Kuete and Jason Dixon topscored for the Slammers with 19 points each with Dixon hauling down 15 rebounds.

It was a heartbreaking loss for the Patriots, who fell to 8-5 overall for second, just a notch ahead of the idle Kuala Lumpur Dragons (7-5), whom the Patriots will host in their next game on Jan. 9 at the Ynares Sports Arena.

Gabe Freeman fouled late in regulation after scoring 20 points and grabbing 16 rebounds, while Steve Thomas also had a double-double job with 14 points and 22 rebounds.

The Patriots, who led by as many as 10 in the early goings, 12-2

outrebounded the Slammers, 49-39, but struggled with a 33 percent shooting from the field (30-of-91). In contrast, the Slammers made 30 out of their 67 shots for a 45 percent norm from the floor.

Billones single-handedly rallied the team from five points down in regulation play before Thomas’ basket with 20 seconds left send the game into overtimeat 64. Kuete had a chance to win it for the Slammers, but missed on a driving lay up at the buzzer.

Thomas and Billones then combined in the absence of Freeman to give the Patriots a 74-72 lead late in the first extra period.

But Sopon scored on a bankshot for the game’s second overtime.

Earlier, five players score in double figures for Satria Muda, eliminating from playoff contention the Brunei Barracudas, 87-70, in Brunei.