Patriots down Slammers to grab ABL solo lead

Anthony Johnson returned with a bang, hitting clutch baskets down the stretch, to lift the Philippine Patriots past the Chang Thailand Slammers, 54-48, for the solo lead in the AirAsia ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) Season 2.

Johnson, who missed the past two games due to a hamstring injury, knocked down 13 points, including eight in the final three minutes, as the Patriots notched their fourth straight win.

Trailing 42-43 with 3:36 left, Johnson buried a triple to spark a decisive 12-5 run that set the tone for the Patriots’ victory over the Thais, who suffered their first setback in four matches.

After Johnson’s triple, Egay Billones, the hero in the team’s 72-67 overtime win over the Brunei Barracudas last week, extended the margin to 47-43 with a jumper with under two minutes remaining.

The Thais moved to within two, 47-45, on Filipino Eric Canlas’ basket, but Johnson knocked in four consecutive points to quell their rivals’ comeback bid.

“Our defense was working as planned, but we just couldn’t convert our shots in the first three quarters," said Patriots coach Louie Alas. “But we strengthened our defense in the fourth quarter and our shots finally fell."

Johnson, who incurred his injury during their 71-62 win over the Brunei Barracudas three weeks ago, finished with 13 points on 6-of-14 shooting. He also added five rebounds in 30 minutes of action.

Donald Little, the Patriot’s other import, topscored with 14 points while adding seven rebounds, three assists and five blocks. Billones contributed 10 markers.

The Patriots struggled in the early goings, trailing by as many as eight points, but were able to charge back and tie it at 40-all on a triple by Warren Ybanez with six minutes to go.

Billones eventually put the Filipinos ahead for the first time by hitting a basket that made it 42-40 with 4:23 to go.

In the next play, former Patriot Froilan Baguion hit a trey to give the Thais their last taste of the lead at 43-42, with 4:02 left.

“The difference is that we practically shut them down in the fourth and we made the shots that we couldn’t make in the early goings," said Alas.

Jason Dixon, who like Baguion played against his former team for the first time, finished with 11 points and seven rebounds in 37 minutes while Sopon Pinipatcharalert had 13 points, highlighted by three triples, in the Thais’ losing cause.

Rey Joble, GMA News TV