RP Patriots Outlast Barracudas in OT

By FRANCIS SANTIAGO

BRUNEI — The Philippine Patriots will not be coming home empty-handed from their first overseas outing in AirAsia Asean Basketball League Season 2.

Egay “The Big Time” Billones and Junjun Cabatu delivered in the clutch as the Patriots came away with a 72-67 overtime victory over the Brunei Barracudas to keep their share of the lead with Thailand Saturday at the Brunei Indoor Stadium here.

Billones, who steered two previous RP squads to the championships here, dropped seven of his 14 points in the extra period as the defending champions bucked the disqualification of import Donald Little in the last 3:45 to claim their third straight triumph in as many games.

The 6-foot-11 Little, after electrifying the roaring Filipino fans with a slam for a 65-61 lead, fouled out in the next play.

But that hardly mattered as Billones took over, scoring five straight points, including a triple that virtually took the fight out of the Barracudas, 70-67, 1:42 left.

Brunei import Fil-Am Ramsey Williams had the chance to shove his team closer, but his lay-up bungled out in the next play. Warren Ybanez’s charities off a Williams foul with 3.6 ticks left accounted for the final count.

“I expected him (Billones) to take over because he had already helped me win two titles here in Brunei,” said Patriots coach Louie Alas, referring to the 1999 Southeast Asian Games and the 1997 SEABA 22-and-under crowns.

The 6-foot-5 Cabatu, the former La Salle stand out, scored a team-high 16 points, including a triple off a pass and screen by Little with 7.1 seconds that forced the extra five minutes, 61-all.

It was the second straight game that Cabatu played the hero’s role for the team after hitting the crucial shots in the team’s thrilling 62-59 win over the Singapore Slingers at home last week.

“I’m very satisfied with the locals because they really carried the team in the final four minutes,” Alas said.

Co-owned by Harbour Centre owner Mikee Romero and Tony Boy Cojuangco, the Patriots actually looked headed for a breezy win after erecting a 55-45 edge at the start of the fourth.

The Scores:
PHILIPPIN ES 72 — Cabatu 16, Billones 14, Little 14, Fernandez 11, Salangsang 8, Jaime 3, Ybanez 2, Sta. Cruz 2, Sta. Maria 2, Doroya 0, Crisano 0.
BRUNEI 67 — Commons 17, Tolomia 15, Faundo 14, Ramsey 14, Garnett 4, Tan 3, HJ 0, Lim 0, Fong 0.
Quarters: 19-15, 33-27, 50-43, 61-61, OT: 72-67.