Let the exports be known
Ever since the ASEAN Basketball League was formed back in 2009, it has been able to showcase the hidden, once-untapped basketball talent Southeast Asia has had for years.
Southeast Asia’s premier pro league paved the way for countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore to be well-known not just in the region, but in all of Asia through their ever-improving status in basketball.
But the past six years of the league have also proven one thing as far as talent is concerned — the Philippines is and will always be the best source of quality players in the ASEAN region.
World imports may still be the best players to bolster a team’s bid for a title run, but Heritage imports — players with Southeast Asian decent — have become in-demand, and ABL teams look for such talent nowhere else but in the Philippines.
Froilan Baguion. Leo Avenido. Ardy Larong. Allan Salangsang. Jerick Cañada. Jai Reyes. Stanley Pringle. These are just some of the notable names of Filipinos who have had great impact on the teams they had played for as Heritage imports in the previous years, and this long list will go on as the ABL keeps on treading annually.
As the seventh edition of the ABL rolls on for the 2016-2017 season, a good number of Filipinos — and Fil-foreigners too — have once again been hired by five other teams in the six-team cagefest to toughen up and improve their respective rosters, each aiming to win it all.
With the ABL gaining much bigger followings from fans both in the region and here in the Philippines, it is only right for the Filipino players to be known and be talked about, not only to the followers of their teams, but also to their fellow Filipinos.
Scoring Punch
Over a week ago, Kaohsiung Truth visited the Philippines for a road game against Alab Pilipinas. Prior to the match, the team had lost two straight games ar the hands of league leaders Hongkong Eastern Lions, with both losses by way of blowouts.
Lack of offensive firepower was evident in Kaohsiung’s first two matches, so in order for them to catch up, they immediately searched for someone who could provide much-needed offense — someone who could also run the gun smoothly for them.
And in their clash with Alab, the Taiwanese ball club hired the services of former University of the Philippines Fighting Maroon and NCAA resident analyst Mikee Reyes, a five-foot-eight point guard who was a 2016 PBA Draftee but failed to make the cut of TNT KaTropa’s already-loaded roster.
He signed a one-game contract with Kaohsiung, and that game alone almost became a Mikee Reyes-show, as he attempted to wow the team with his stellar play. The match was expected to be a lopsided affair, but it was different.
With Reyes running the point, Kaohsiung went strong early in the game. And with his seven straight points in the second frame, they were even able to lead by ten, 33-23. However, it was all that he could give as he suffered leg cramps come the halftime break.
If it hadn’t been for cramps, Reyes, who scored 14, could have pushed Truth to possibly their first win. But things did not go their way, as they went down to their third straight loss, 91-82. But it was hard not to miss on how Reyes played that night.
His excellent outing, despite being cut short, impressed even Truth head coach Tryston Lawrence, saying that Reyes brought them the scoring punch they have been looking for.
Reyes seemed to be the perfect point guard for the struggling neophyte team, but all of those high expectations went to waste as Kaohsiung decided not to extend his contract. But despite such adversity, that game was enough to show how much Reyes can do when given the chance.
Quality Minutes
Photo by Kuk Thew
Another struggling team in the ABL is the Vietnam-based Saigon Heat, who just recently dropped to 0-2 in the standings after losing to current league leaders Hongkong Eastern Lions, 84-74, last Saturday, December 11.
Their ten-point loss to the Lions was obviously another blowout, but it was actually closer this time than when they were dismantled by the Singapore Slingers in their opening game, 90-65, last December 4.
The roster consists of ten players, but their trio of imports Lenny Daniel, David Arnold, and Joshua Munzon were the Heat’s main source of offense in their first two games, with all three logging heavy minutes.
And of the three foreign reinforcements, the 6-foot-4 Munzon is Saigon’s Heritage Import for this season.
The athletic guard-forward signed with Saigon last October after finishing his four-year stint in the NCAA Division II school California State University in Los Angeles, wherein he also had the chance to play alongside San Beda guard Davon Potts.
Munzon had been a solid contributor for CSULA ever since his freshman years — he posted norms of 12.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.7 dimes in his senior year — and his steadfast play manifested in his performances for Saigon. Against Singapore, he scored 13 to supplement Arnold’s 25 and Daniel’s 18. And versus Hongkong, he had 11.
But it wasn’t his offensive outputs that were eye-opening, at least, but the minutes that he was on the floor for the Heat. In his first game, he logged 38 minutes and 23 seconds, the most of any player on their roster. And in their next assignment, he never sat out and played all 40 minutes.
Saigon’s next game will be against the Westports Malaysia Dragons on December 17, and it will not be surprising should Munzon blow up on offense and anchor their deadly troika of Daniel and Arnold to help the Heat post their first win.
Two is Better than One
Kaohsiung flew back to the Philippines once more for another road game against Alab Pilipinas last Sunday, a match served as something of a rematch.
But this time, two new Heritage imports showed up for the Truth — a far cry from the usual acquisitions of just a single import.
The Truth were able to acquire the services of Far Eastern University products Raymar Jose and Achie Iñigo for the rest of the season, replacing initial import Mikee Reyes.
And in their first game playing for the Taiwanese team, the guard-center duo quickly made an impact to the squad, truly living up to the saying “two is better than one.”
Jose scored 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while Iñigo, though scoring just four markers, clearly took charge in running the point as he dished out eight dimes.
Kaohsiung lost, 93-87, however, but with the way the Tamaraw duo fared in their opening game that impressed Lawrence, the Truth might finally be able to produce better outcomes in their succeeding games.
Don’t Call it a Comeback… Yet
Photo by Kuk Thew
In a group, there will always be someone who’s a bit too far in comparison with his peers.
And in this case, someone among the Pinoy exports has not been able to deliver something huge to his team… yet.
To cut the story short, the Singapore Slingers haven’t gotten much by way of quality output from Fil-Am point guard Ali Austria in their first four games. Austria was part of the defunct Philippines-MX3 Kings.
The one-time PBA D-Leaguer has yet to bring his A-game to the second-best team in the league after sub-par performances in all of their outings.
The 5-foot-11 floor general was scoreless in their games against Westports Malaysia Dragons, Alab Pilipinas, and Hongkong Eastern Lions. His only decent game was against Saigon Heat, where he scored five markers.
The Slingers’ upcoming match will be this Sunday against Alab Pilipinas in Singapore, and it will be a good chance for Austria to show everyone that he can square up well and contribute effectively.
The season is still young, and one thing is for sure: we haven’t seen the full potential of the Exports. And as the season progresses, then we will all be able to witness what these particular players can do further.
