Souped-up Patriots seek redemption

MANILA, Philippines - The Air Asia Philippine Patriots have vowed to go all out to regain the crown in the Asean Basketball League.

Team owner Mikee Romero yesterday said he won’t allow a repeat of the stunning loss to the Chang Thailand Slammers in last year’s finals here.

“It was really painful for us,” said Romero during yesterday’s PSA Forum as he looked back at the Slammers’ two-game sweep of the Patriots, who ruled the inaugural staging in 2010.

Before that loss, Romero has maintained a streak of victories in the local cage scene the last six years.

“Since 2005 until 2011 we won 10 championships in the PBL, the SEA Games, the Seaba and the ABL. It was the first time I lost in a championship,” he said.

That setback prompted Romero to revamp the Patriots, from the coaching staff to the players, with point-guard Wareen Ybanez as the only holdover.

“To say the least we assembled a well-balanced team this year. At this point we are ready to rumble. Again, we will give them the Philippine brand of basketball,” Romero said.

Joining the youthful team owner, also the president of the Philippine National Shooting Association, is new head coach Glen Capacio and team manager Eric Arejola.

Imports Anthony Johnson and Nakiea Miller and top local Aldrich Ramos banner the new-look Phl Patriots side.

With 13 new players and a new head coach, the team is “completely overhauled” with Romero expressing hopes of a sweep of this year’s crown.

The new season of the ABL kicks off Saturday at the San Juan gym with the Patriots taking on expansion Bangkok Cobras.

It’s going to be a long season for the eight competing teams that include the San Miguel Beermen, winners of the pre-season tournament a couple of months ago.

Aside from the Patriots, the Beermen and the Cobras, the other teams vying in the tournament are Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia.

“If we make it all the way to the championship, the season runs until June 15. I hope we do 21-0 or at least 20-1. Seriously, this is the best team I’ve assembled for the ABL,” Romero said.

“We have the best locals, and Anthony and I form the best 1-2 combination among the imports. It will be very hard for them to stop us,” said Miller, who played for Indonesia and Malaysia in the past ABL seasons.

“Nakiea always gave us a hard time. He even got into fights with our players. But now he’s with us, and he’s friends with everybody,” said Romero.