Beermen loom as team to beat in ABL

KUALA LUMPUR – A newbie in the AirAsia ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) wars but surely no stranger to tough hardcourt hostilities, San Miguel Beer stakes its winning reputation in the regional home- and-away cagefest beginning today.

The Beermen, owner of 19 titles in the PBA, kick off their ABL campaign against dangerous Westsports Malaysia Dragons at 3 p.m. at the MABA Gym, carrying with them the favorite tag in the 10-team field.

SMB gave a glimpse of things to come when the Beermen topped the pre-season To Be Number One Basketball Challenge in Thailand at the expense of the Phl Patriots, another Filipino crew rich in championship tradition.

But coach Bobby Parks preferred to downplay the chances of his team, bannered by imports Darlon Johnson and Richard Jeter, and veterans Froilan Baguion, Leo Avenido, Junjun Cabatu, and Benedict Fernandez, and new faces Jun Mar Fajardo, the 6-9 behemoth from Cebu, and Chris Banchero, the Fil-Am sensation who will sit out the opener due to a wrist injury.

“I don’t think we’re the team to beat. A lot of people say that because of the name San Miguel and also because we won the Bangkok tournament,” said Parks, who started his stellar career as an import in the Phl by leading San Miguel to the 1987 PBA Reinforced Conference crown.

“But you have to remember all other teams are preparing as hard. I think this is gonna be a very competitive league. Of course, the Patriots are gonna be good and Thailand team of Jellybean Bryant (Bangkok Cobras), he might sneak Kobe in for a couple of games,” he said in jest.

Turning serious, Parks said “It’s gonna be good, exciting league for the fans and very balanced but I’m very comfortable with the team that I have.”

Standing between them and a first W in the ABL are the Dragons – team familiar with the Filipino brand of play with Ariel Vanguardia at the helm and Pinoys Nic Belasco, Chris Pacana, Patrick Cabahug and former PBA import Tiras Wade in tow.

“I think they’ve scouted us more because we played in Bangkok and we didn’t see them play yet. But I don’t look at it like that; look at it like you gotta go there and do what you practice well. We’ve had good practices so I think, we’ve prepared from the coaching staff to trainer, and players themselves are working hard,” Parks said.

Vanguardia’s Malaysian squad is out on a mission.

“Our guys have been working hard, playing for the national team and tournaments after tournaments to improve and it’s all for the fans. Dragons’ fans and supporters are part of what we are trying to build in Malaysia.