Game on Sunday (MABA Stadium, Malaysia)
5 p.m. — RP Partriots vs Kuala Lumpur Dragons

KUALA LUMPUR — With one of its key players in sickbay and another one a doubtful starter because of a recurring injury, the Philippine Patriots face an acid test when they gun for their third straight win against the Kuala Lumpur Dragons today in the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) at the MABA Stadium here.

The Patriots will miss big man Jerwin Gaco, who is still recuperating from flu, while starting point guard Froilan Baguion could only afford to play limited minutes because of a knee injury.

The 6-foot-4 Gaco, one of the team’s vital cogs, is averaging 9.25 points per game with a 41.2 shooting clip from the field.

The Patriots’ multi-titled coach Louie Alas. However, is not unfazed with the inclusion of JP Alcaraz – his former player at Letran and Toyota Otis in the PBL.

Despite the injury woes, Alas plans to give the Dragons a tough challenge in their 5 p.m. showdown by neutralizing their rivals’ vaunted transition attacks.

“I saw the video (Dragons’ game against Thailand) yesterday and they are a quick team,” said Alas. “So we plan to put pressure defense to stop their fast break plays.”

The Dragons will be backstopped by former University of the East standouts Rudy Lingganay and Fhadzmir Bandaying, 6-foot-4 Filipino Roel Hugnatan, and Chris Daniel Kuete Lontchi, who saw action for the Cameroons in the 2007 FIBA Africa Championship for Men.

“The post plays of their imports and Hugnatan are also effective. So the key here is our individual defense,” said Alas, adding that a low-scoring game will be key to their win.

The Patriots – co-owned by Harbour Centre CEO Dr. Mikee Romero and businessman Tony Boy Cojuangco – are currently at solo second with a 3-1 record – big thanks to their back-to-back wins, including an impressive 70-53 rout of the Singapore Slingers last week.

That recent win was a revenge of sort for the Patriots, having lost to Slingers, 74-69, the first time they met in the home-and-away tournament.

Despite their recent success, Alas doesn’t want his boys to take their rivals lightly because he knows that the Dragons are aching to bounce back from an 88-71 loss to the Thailand Tigers last Monday at the Nimibutr National Stadium in Thailand. The Dargons are at fourth with 2-3 card.

While imports Jason Dixon and Brandon Powell were doing their normal chores for the team, Alas said the big games from Ateneo star Nonoy Baclao and UE’s Elmer Espiritu to keep the team’s offense’ going.

Baclao starred in the team’s 74-61 win over the Thailand Tigers where he tallied seven markers, five boards and four blocks.

It was Espiritu’s turn to shine for the Patriots against the Slingers as he scored all his seven points in the fourth period, including five straight points that set the tone for the rout. He also had five rebounds and two blocks.

“The two (Baclao and Espiritu) have been really playing consistently,” Alas said.