Johnson back to help RP Patriots vs Slammers

After missing the team’s last two games, import Anthony Johnson returns as the Philippine Patriots battle the Chang Thailand Slammers on Saturday in a showdown between two undefeated teams in the AirAsia ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) Season 2 in Bangkok.

But the former Philippine Basketball Association import will not be 100 percent as he just recovered from a hamstring injury suffered during their first game against the Brunei Barracudas where he scored 24 points.

“But knowing Anthony, he will just do everything to help the team," said Patriots team manager Erick Arejola. “The team badly needs his services since we will be up against a tough team."

The RP Patriots, who won the title last year at the expense of Indonesia’s Satria Muda BritAma, and the Slammers are currently tied for the lead with identical 3-0 records.

This also marks the first time that the Patriots will be going up against former import Jason Dixon.

The presence of the 6-foot-10 Dixon is the main raison why the Slammers are enjoying an early smooth ride as the veteran import consistently posted double-double performances.

“We really have to work hard, especially in the shaded lane, since that will be the bread and butter of Dixon. He’s hard to stop, but we will try our best to limit his production," said RP Patriots coach Louie Alas.

Without Johnson, the Patriots, co-owned by Mikee Romero of Harbour Centre and Tony Boy Cojuangco, leaned on the heroics of Jun Jun Cabatu, Egay Billones, Jonathan Fernandez and import Donald Little to prevail over the Singapore Slingers and the Barracudas.

Alas said they will focus more on their defensive rotations and hope to wear down the barrel-chested Dixon early. - KY, RCJ, GMANews.TV